Andrei Lukanov

In his last hours, Andrei Lukanov was, as usual, a man on many missions. The former prime minister met hurriedly with associates and told them he was ready to go public with a dossier that would expose corruption at the highest levels of Bulgaria's Socialist government. "He seemed happy, full of energy, no sense of danger," said an associate who was present, Kancho Stoychev. Then Lukanov rushed off to lunch with the U.S. ambassador at her residence in this capital.

In his last hours, Andrei Lukanov was, as usual, a man on many missions. The former prime minister met hurriedly with associates and told them he was ready to go public with a dossier that would expose corruption at the highest levels of Bulgaria's Socialist government. "He seemed happy, full of energy, no sense of danger," said an associate who was present, Kancho Stoychev. Then Lukanov rushed off to lunch with the U.S. ambassador at her residence in this capital.

Andrei Lukanov, 58, Bulgaria's first post-Communist prime minister, was gunned down outside his home in Sofia in an assassination that reflected the growing anarchy in the impoverished Balkan country. Lukanov helped oust Communist strongman Todor Zhivkov and headed two Socialist governments until strikes forced him to step down in November 1990. He remained an important member of parliament.

Andrei Lukanov, 58, Bulgaria's first post-Communist prime minister, was gunned down outside his home in Sofia in an assassination that reflected the growing anarchy in the impoverished Balkan country. Lukanov helped oust Communist strongman Todor Zhivkov and headed two Socialist governments until strikes forced him to step down in November 1990. He remained an important member of parliament.

Former Prime Minister Andrei Lukanov has been indicted on charges of impoverishing Bulgaria by giving millions of dollars to Communist movements in Third World countries. Prosecutor Mihail Doichev said Friday that 21 other former Communist Party officials, including longtime Stalinist ruler Todor Zhivkov, will be indicted on similar charges in coming weeks. Doichev said the case will likely go to trial later this year. If convicted, defendants could face 10 to 30 years' imprisonment.

Parliament on Saturday elected an economist to replace a hard-line Communist as prime minister, and the new leader promised immediate reforms to combat Bulgaria's "social and economic crisis." Petar Beron, a leader of the emerging democratic opposition, described the new prime minister, Andrei Lukanov, as "a good choice" and left open the possibility that some opposition members might join a coalition government.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Andrei Lukanov and his government of former Communists resigned Thursday, caving in to unrelenting pressure from opposition forces who have refused since June to accept the outcome of free elections. The Sofia leadership's collapse marks what could be a dangerous turn of events in Eastern Europe, where strident intellectual minorities have been thwarting efforts by those elected to reform the region's disaster-stricken economies.

The opposition's Pyrrhic victory in forcing the ex-Communist government out of power has deepened a sense of bitterness and disappointment among Bulgarians, who fear that the leadership change will make little difference in their destitute lives. Socialist Prime Minister Andrei Lukanov told reporters Friday that he gave in to opposition pressure to resign in hopes of breaking a political stalemate that has allowed his country's worst postwar economic crisis to fester.

Tens of thousands of workers walked off their jobs today, responding to an appeal by the opposition trade union for a general strike aimed at forcing Socialist Prime Minister Andrei Lukanov to resign. There were conflicting reports about the extent of the protest. But the walkout called by the Podkrepa labor federation was apparently limited to about 10% of the nation's work force of 4.5 million.

A Bulgarian billionaire was shot dead in the capital, Sofia, a day after he testified in the trial of five men charged with the 1996 assassination of former Prime Minister Andrei Lukanov, local media said. Iliya Pavlov, head of the industrial holding company MG Corp., was believed to be one of the 10 richest men in Eastern Europe. Bulgarian television said a sniper hiding in bushes shot at Pavlov, who was escorted by four bodyguards.

Former Prime Minister Andrei Lukanov has been indicted on charges of impoverishing Bulgaria by giving millions of dollars to Communist movements in Third World countries. Prosecutor Mihail Doichev said Friday that 21 other former Communist Party officials, including longtime Stalinist ruler Todor Zhivkov, will be indicted on similar charges in coming weeks. Doichev said the case will likely go to trial later this year. If convicted, defendants could face 10 to 30 years' imprisonment.

The opposition's Pyrrhic victory in forcing the ex-Communist government out of power has deepened a sense of bitterness and disappointment among Bulgarians, who fear that the leadership change will make little difference in their destitute lives. Socialist Prime Minister Andrei Lukanov told reporters Friday that he gave in to opposition pressure to resign in hopes of breaking a political stalemate that has allowed his country's worst postwar economic crisis to fester.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Andrei Lukanov and his government of former Communists resigned Thursday, caving in to unrelenting pressure from opposition forces who have refused since June to accept the outcome of free elections. The Sofia leadership's collapse marks what could be a dangerous turn of events in Eastern Europe, where strident intellectual minorities have been thwarting efforts by those elected to reform the region's disaster-stricken economies.

Parliament on Saturday elected an economist to replace a hard-line Communist as prime minister, and the new leader promised immediate reforms to combat Bulgaria's "social and economic crisis." Petar Beron, a leader of the emerging democratic opposition, described the new prime minister, Andrei Lukanov, as "a good choice" and left open the possibility that some opposition members might join a coalition government.

Thousands of workers walked off their jobs after an appeal by the opposition trade union for a general strike aimed at forcing Socialist Prime Minister Andrei Lukanov to resign. The walkout was apparently limited to about 10% of the nation's 4.5 million workers. President Zhelyu Zhelev called on the Socialists--formerly the Communists--and the opposition to get together on a plan to bring the Balkan country out of its political and economic crisis.

Officials exhumed the body of long-dead Communist leader Vasil Kolarov on Tuesday to empty a mausoleum that had once served as a shrine to the Stalinist system. Kolarov, Bulgarian prime minister from 1949 until his death a year later, had occupied the only grave in the wall around the Georgy Dimitrov mausoleum in central Sofia. A small crowd watched as workers used pneumatic drills to dig up the corpse for reburial in a Sofia cemetery.