TURMOIL IN THE EAST BLOC : Bulgaria Declares Amnesty, Moves Toward Guarantee of Free Speech : East Bloc: Reform measures sail through assembly as nation rushes to catch up with democratized neighbors.

The Parliament declared an amnesty on Friday for Bulgarians accused of political crimes and introduced legislation that would guarantee freedom of speech and assembly.

The reform measures sailed through the National Assembly as lawmakers rushed to change Bulgarian law to reflect the democratic changes embraced earlier in the week by the Communist leadership.

During the session, the National Assembly named Communist Party leader Petur Mladenov commander in chief of the armed forces, further downgrading former Communist leader Todor Zhivkov.

Over the next few weeks the mostly rubber-stamp assembly is expected to adopt a long list of dramatic reforms abolishing the centrally planned economic system and laying the foundation for a “democratic system committed to rule of law,” the official news agency BTA said.

The reforms were endorsed during this week’s plenary meeting of the Communist Party Central Committee, which ended its session Wednesday by renouncing its constitutionally guaranteed monopoly on political power.

Although few details were available of the assembly’s amnesty declaration, it was believed to apply to any Bulgarian accused or convicted of anti-state offenses, such as sedition.

Human rights groups have estimated that as many as 216 people are imprisoned in Bulgaria for political offenses.

Legislators also introduced measures that would rescind 11 sections of the criminal code limiting freedom of speech and assembly, BTA said. The only remaining prohibitions would apply to speech advocating fascism or the violent overthrow of the government.

The measures were expected to be formally adopted at a January session.

Despite the lifting of the restrictions on speech and assembly, the Parliament issued a stern warning to pro-democracy groups against provocative demonstrations.

The warning referred to a mass protest Thursday outside the assembly building that turned ugly when legislators delayed action on the proposed constitutional amendment to strip the Communist Party of its monopoly on political power.

Shouting “Resign, Resign!” and “Death to the Communists!” the estimated 20,000 demonstrators laid siege to the building for several hours before being persuaded to disperse. They jeered and shouted down Mladenov when he came out to talk to them.

Leaders of Bulgaria’s main opposition group pleaded for restraint, fearing the crowd would become violent and even force its way into Parliament. One witness described the mostly youthful protesters as “behaving like a mob.”

The assembly denounced the protesters’ behavior as “intolerable” in a formal declaration that was published in Sofia newspapers Friday.

“It (the government) will not allow the country to be pushed into chaos or national tragedy,” the declaration said, adding that leaders of Bulgaria’s democracy movement would be held responsible if further such incidents occur.

Another rally had been planned for late afternoon Friday outside the Parliament, but was canceled following the news of the death of Soviet human rights activist Andrei D. Sakharov.

Emil Koshloukov, chairman of an independent student group that has been involved in some of the demonstrations, warned fellow students in a radio address Friday to avoid such behavior or risk a possible crackdown.

“Let us prove that we can conduct a civilized dialogue and take part in the democratization of the country as mature persons,” he said. “Let us prevent the attempts at stirring up riots, provocations and disunion of the Bulgarian people.”