Bulgaria’s Premier, Communist-Controlled Cabinet Resign

Prime Minister Georgi Atanassov, a holdover from the era of disgraced leader Todor Zhivkov, resigned along with his 22-member Communist-controlled Cabinet, Bulgarian state radio said late Thursday.

The resignation was the first by a government since 1947, when the Communist Party consolidated power in postwar Bulgaria, according to the state news agency BTA.

The Cabinet’s departure clears the way for creation of an interim government to run Bulgaria until elections this year. The Communists have proposed such a government to share power with the opposition.

The state news agency said the resignations became known Thursday night during an emergency, closed-door Communist Party congress. The government will continue to serve until Parliament accepts its resignation, the agency said. No date was given.

Delegates to the party congress remained in session and were expected to continue meeting through this morning.

Earlier Thursday, the delegates adopted a new party platform that confirmed the relinquishing of the Communists’ monopoly on power, as approved by Parliament last month. They also sanctioned moderate reforms before starting the secret session to elect the party leadership.

Atanassov had come under fire for failing to curb unprecedented labor unrest and resolve other economic ills. His resignation was widely expected.

Atanassov became prime minister in March, 1986. He survived the Nov. 10 ouster of Communist Party chief Zhivkov, but was not able to escape the former leader’s shadow. Zhivkov is now under arrest on criminal charges.