Bulgaria’s Foreign Ministry and Jewish organisations have denounced a wave of antisemitic vandalism targeting a synagogue and multiple Holocaust memorials across the country. The attacks, described as assaults on Bulgaria’s moral and historical identity, follow a string of similar incidents in recent months, reports The Jerusalem Post.
According to statements by the Shalom Organisation of Jews in Bulgaria and the Alef Centre for Jewish-Bulgarian Cooperation, a synagogue in Varna, the Sofia Monument of Salvation, and the Burgas Monument of Gratitude were all defaced last week. The Monument of Salvation, which honours Bulgarians who resisted the deportation of Jews during the Second World War, was splattered with red paint.
Dr Alina Levi, chair of Shalom, condemned the vandalism and urged the Sofia municipality and Foreign Ministry to prosecute those responsible, saying, “Bulgaria should not allow such manifestations that contradict the true essence of our society.”
The Alef Centre likewise condemned the defacement of the Burgas Monument of Gratitude — a memorial built to commemorate Bulgarians who opposed the Holocaust — describing it as an attack “against historical memory” and “on the moral foundations of our society.” In a powerful statement, the group asked: “Whom does the heroism of the Bulgarian people offend… who wishes to erase the immense moral capital of the Bulgarian nation, earned through its tolerance and proven humanism?”
The Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the vandalism against the synagogue and the Burgas monument, calling the acts “unacceptable” and warning that they “cannot be left without consequences.” The ministry added that such incidents were “not inherent in Bulgarian society” and seemed intended “to create artificial tension and division among Bulgarian citizens.”
In recent weeks, additional antisemitic vandalism has targeted Jewish sites across Bulgaria. On 8 August, the Burgas memorial was plastered with stickers featuring General Hristo Lukov, the pro-Nazi leader of the Union of Bulgarian National Legions. Later that month, a former Jewish school in Burgas, now an art gallery, was defaced with graffiti equating the Star of David to a swastika.
In Sofia, the Monument to Attorneys Who Saved Jews During the Holocaust was recently covered with pro-Palestinian stickers, prompting a warning from Shalom that the Holocaust must never be politicised. Jewish youth volunteers later cleaned the site.
The Burgas municipality and other local authorities acted quickly to remove the graffiti, with Alef expressing gratitude for their swift response. Nonetheless, Jewish leaders across Bulgaria have warned that the recurrence of antisemitic vandalism represents a growing threat to tolerance and historical truth in the country.
Photo credit: FACEBOOK/ORGANIZATION OF JEWS IN BULGARIA ”SHALOM”’
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