ecological nightmare Inefficient and outdated Industry and uranium mining were developed with was determined to turn Bulgaria into no thought for their potential effect on the environment. Todor Zhivkov a super-industrialised state at any grandiose construction schemes. Giant petro-chemical plants and after the Chernobyl disaster, and fall- People still react with outrage at drifted across the country from the the mention of a particular day it "We weren't warned to stay in- rained in Bulgaria. It was the day out from the stricken plant had Soviet Union.
SOCIALIST OUTLOOK no 28, November 1990 "The country will become one big chemical factory" Petar Slabakov of Ecoglasnost cut down. The Black Sea's marine life the landscape and polluted the water Is dead below 50 metres. 71 per cent Today uranium mining has scarred taminating farm produce. 24 million The popular environmental move- poisoning the atmosphere and con- table. Petro-chemical factories are square metres of forest have been ment Ecoglasnost has condemned of the main rivers are heavily pol- pills and the top officials with special any country outside the Soviet Union. Bulgaria suffered the highest level dates back well before this disaster. of health damage from Chernobyl of cious funds were poured into heavy, that the army had been issued with Its ecological nightmare, however, doors - nobody told us anything", explained a member of the Green Party. "Afterwards we discovered Under the Zhivkov regime, pre- foods." Page 22
When 'independent' is a So we were successful in organising our new constitution and, very important, in if we didn't, there would be no point in going on with the confederation. I don't want So people need strong, independent trade founding congress in February, in agreeing a to be pessimistic but I believe Bulgaria will continue to be in crisis for the coming decade. Is this just a change of image, or do What do these changes you have FEATURES you support the Independent or made mean in practice? ganisation of workers? launching a new platform. unions, especially now.