In the statements by the Polish Interior Minister at the Bloc Meeting held on 23 April 1980 to discuss foreign “hostile actions,” including Western radio broadcasting, special attention is given to attempts to form a political opposition in the socialist countries.

In the statement by KGB Chairman Chebrikov at the Bloc Meeting held on 23 April 1980 to discuss foreign “hostile actions,” including Western radio broadcasting, special attention is given to attempts to form a political opposition in the socialist countries.

Report on the activities of the former Defense Minister and Chief of the Bulgarian mission in Bern, Damyan Velchev, against the new Bulgarian regime.

According to the State Security Committee chair, Angel Solakov, there has been a major shift in the policies of the West towards the Soviet bloc. While during the 1950s military face-off was often considered an option, in the late 1960s such possibility has been largely ruled out. Consequently the US and their allies in Western Europe are focusing their efforts on fighting socialism around the world through peaceful means, such as strengthening economic and cultural ties with the Soviet bloc countries. This calls for a change in the strategy of the State Security Committee intelligence operations. Solakov also reports on the anti-Soviet activities of the Chinese and Albanian intelligence services across Europe.

Information regarding the reaction of a group of 16 Bulgarian Armed Forces officers, discharged for “anti-party and anti-state activity”. Some of them were rehabilitated with a CC BCP Secretariat Resolution “B-9” on October 13, 1972. The BCP CC’s Military Department recommends that the State Security Committee’s Sixth Directorate continue monitoring the group. KDS should also brief regularly the BCP CC about the behavior of those former officers who have not yet been rehabilitated. While those with favorable disposition towards the Party line should be recommended for future rehabilitation, others who are still standing on “anti-party” positions must be warned in the course.

The Minister of Internal Affairs, Dimitar Stoyanov, reports on the security situation along Yugoslav-Bulgarian border. Since that border is the one most often used by defectors, the Minister proposes a 50% increase in the border patrol troops.

Based on intelligence sources, the Minister of Internal Affairs Dimitar Stoyanov reports on domestic political developments. Among the issues covered in the memo are the domestic repercussions of the January 1987 Plenary Session of the CPSU Central Committee, as well as the Western allegations of human rights violations in regard to Bulgaria’s policy toward the Turkish ethnic minority.

The Minister of Internal Affairs, Dimitar Stoyanov, reports on the coverage in the Western media of the alleged repressions against six Bulgarian dissidents who sent an open letter to the 1986 CSCE Meeting in Vienna. The letter claimed that Bulgaria does not comply fully with the Helsinki Accords on Human Rights of 1975. The Minister reports that although some measures have been taken to neutralize the activities of this particular dissident group, the official investigation has been suspended as there was a risk of further tarnishing Bulgaria’s image abroad.

The Minister of Internal Affairs, Dimitar Stoyanov, informs the Education Minister, Georgi Yordanov, about intelligence reports regarding the rise of discontent among professors, employees and students at the University of Sofia.

The Minister of the Internal Affairs, Dimitar Stoyanov, briefs Todor Zhivkov on the weekly domestic developments. Among the most pressing issues is the ongoing popular discontent in Ruse triggered by the unresolved problems with industrial pollution in the city. Another issue is the opposition of the Turkish minority to the revival process.