
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, June 10, 1990                   TAG: 9006100110
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: SOFIA, BULGARIA                                LENGTH: Short

BULGARIA MAY BE FIRST COMMUNIST ELECTION WIN

Bringing up the rear in Eastern Europe's march for democracy, Bulgarians vote today in the only contest where Communists defended the virtue of being a "red."

Despite an 11th-hour surge in support for the opposition Union of Democratic Forces, Bulgaria appeared poised to become the first nation to vote for communism when given another choice.

The Union of Democratic Forces dredged up details of atrocities at labor camps and repressions against Bulgaria's 1.5 million Turks. But instead of running from association with the tarnished party, the 1 million Communists have circled the wagons to prevent an opposition victory and retaliatory backlash. Membership grew by 24,000 in the past two months.

Kalin Mitrev, a Foreign Ministry official and campaign organizer, said, "In Bulgaria, the Communist Party is not a Russian import. We have natural roots in the masses. That is the difference between us and the rest of Eastern Europe." - Los Angeles Times

by CNB