The Bulgarian Ministry of Justice, replying to a query by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, said today that it is working on a law extending the original time limit set for the return of Bulgarian subjects who emigrated during the war. Under the prosent decree, emigrants must return by May 27 or forfeit their citizenship.
The Ministry said that in view of existing visa and transportation difficulties, it was planning to extend the time limit past May 27, but it did not indicate the length of the extension. The extension will apply to all emigrants, although the original law had a special section dealing with Jews.
The text of this law, which was promulgated on November 27, 1944, stated that “all Jewish Bulgarian citizens who left the country after January 1, 1944, and have lost their citizenship under Paragraph One of this law will again be recognized as Bulgarian citizens if they return within the six-month period beginning with the date of this law, and if they apply for citizenship within the same period.”
Paragraph One, referred to above, stated that “Bulgarian subjects of non-Bulgarian origin who emigrate from the kingdom automatically lose their rights of Bulgarian citizenship, and are required to liquidate all their interests within three months after the date of emigration.”
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