National Union Attack

The National Union Attack (Bulgarian: Национален съюз Атака, Natsionalen sayuz "Ataka") is a nationalist political party in Bulgaria. At the last legislative elections, 5 July 2009, it won 9.4% of the popular vote and 21 out of 240 seats. In the 2009 European Parliament elections Attack won 12.0% of the vote, giving them two seats in the European Parliament.

National Union Attack was formed by the National Movement for the Salvation of the Fatherland (Natsionalno Dvizhenie za Spasenie na Otechestvoto), the Bulgarian National Patriotic Party (Bǎlgarska Natsionalna-Patriotichna Partiya) and the Union of Patriotic Forces and Militaries of the Reserve Defense (Sǎyuz na Patriotichnite Sili i Voinite ot Zapassa - Zashtita). Led by TV host Volen Siderov, the coalition was created just two months before the elections. Siderov first created a party with that name, but its registration was delayed by the court so it could not participate in the elections by itself.

The party's stance is critical in their perception of an excess of privilege for Bulgaria's ethnic minorities ; additionally, they have accused the entire Bulgarian political establishment of being corrupt, and are opposed to NATO, the Iraq War and closer ties with the USA. Although the party is ambivalent on Bulgaria's European Union membership, it has demanded a revision of some of the previous agreements (e.g. the resolution on shutting down the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant near the Danube).

The sudden upsurge in support of Attack was attributed to be one of the causes of the poor performance (31%) of the Bulgarian Socialist Party in the 2005 election.. Leading figures in the party have included Ognyan Saparev, Rumen Vodenicharov and Stella Bankova (who left the party in 2006).

Controversy

The party has been heavily criticized in the media. Some of these allegations are better founded than others: for example the party's platform does not strictly include the fascist characteristics. Regardless, its members tend towards inflammatory comments that often lead to them being sidelined by other parties, and criticized both at home and abroad.

A scandal was caused in 2006 by Attack's observer at the European Parliament Dimitar Stoyanov (who is also Volen Siderov's stepson). Stoyanov sent an email to all MEPs that appeared to belittle Roma women. The email said of Hungarian politician Lívia Járóka, "In my country there are tens of thousands of Gypsy girls way more pretty than this honorable one... you may even buy one, around 12-13 years, to be your loving wife.".^[2]

Apologists later claimed the e-mail was not intended to spark a public relations nightmare. Instead, they claimed its purpose was to highlight the fact that young girls of Roma origin can be literally bought like cattle, despite the fact that this is a heavy crime which clearly violates Human Rights Legislation.

Another incident occurred earlier in 2006 on the Trakia highway, where a car accident and a subsequent clash resulted in party leader Volen Siderov being charged with hooliganism, perjury and obstruction of justice.^[3] In 2008 Volen Siderov was acquitted on all charges.^[4]

Ideology

The party's two program documents, the '20 Principles' and the 'Program Scheme' feature a number of nationalistic characteristics. They define Bulgaria as a one-nation state and assert the supremacy of the state and the 'Bulgarian nation' above ethnic and religious diversity, but at the same time want to have an official religion and participation of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church in legislative work and in all important government decisions, as well as teaching of the Church's doctrine in primary school. The '20 Principles' envisage formulating a crime of 'national betrayal' and criminal prosecution of the 'national traitors'. Attack has so far called most of the present-day politicians, human rights and minority rights activists 'national traitors'. The '20 Principles' also envisage sanctions for defamation of the 'Bulgarian national sacraments' and for 'slurs' against Bulgaria. Anti-establishment and anti-Western slogans have been traditionally associated with the left in Bulgaria, and Attack is regarded generally as a far-right party, whether in media coverage, political platform, or allies in the European parliament.^[5] Attack members themselves have said that the movement is 'neither left, nor right but Bulgarian'.

Their policies include hard lines against immigration and an antagonism towards the 10% Muslim minorities in Bulgaria. In Bulgaria, all existing parliamentary parties have stated that they would never form a coalition with Attack, since they regard it as a xenophobic group, and a threat to Bulgarian ethnic minorities. Nevertheless the party managed, after two years of support for the minority cabinet of PM Boyko Borisov to influence the government to support some of its policies.

Political activity

Opinion survey results from March 2006 showed a significant increase in support for Attack. It ranked second after the BSP (Bulgarian Socialist Party) and ahead of the former ruling party NDSV (National Movement for Simeon II) and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms. On March 3, 2006, party leader Siderov called for a meeting to be held in Sofia, and around 30,000 people came to hear speeches by him and other members of the party. During this rally Siderov declared "Bulgaria is not yet free. Bulgaria is still under Turkish rule". Party speakers protested against the ruling government in Bulgaria for forming an alliance with the Movement for Rights and Freedoms and allegedly ignoring ethnic Bulgarian interests. Earlier in 2006, Siderov organized a petition against a decision by the Bulgarian government to set up US military bases in Bulgaria. In October, he came second in the first round of the 2006 presidential election, but lost in the second round after receiving around a quarter of the vote.

On March 3, 2009 Ataka organized a rally, attended by about 10,000, to celebrate the liberation of Bulgaria from "500 years of enslavement by the Ottomans". Some traditional political formations in Bulgaria have avoided contact and debate with the party - the party claim this is because "[they have] been scared from being involved in any debates with Ataka, as they know they would never win". SKAT TV - a broadcaster broadly sympathetic to the party's view - have been subject to deletion from some cable TV providers in Bulgaria. Ataka claims this is a "pre-election trick by the government, in order to silence one of its main competitors in the election"; however, Clive Leviev-Sawyer, a Bulgarian Jewish journalist, cites "consumer complaints and hate speech" as the reasons for the channel being dropped by some providers.^[6]

In the European Parliament elections of June 7, 2009, the party's share was 12%. This placed them in fourth place, behind the ascending Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria, the governing Coalition for Bulgaria and the pro-minority Movement for Rights and Freedoms. This gives them two European Parliament seats out of Bulgaria's 17.^[7]

Election results

National Assembly

Presidental

European Parliament

References

External links

• (English) Official site in English
• (Bulgarian) Official site
• (Bulgarian) The party's daily newspaper, Attack