Targovishte Court Rules Bulgaria Red Crescent Illegal

The Yuzeirovi Brothers spurred public outrage in 2009 after they registered the Bulgarian Red Cross, built the “Monument of the Unknown Turkish Warrior” and attempted to create a political party called “Muslim Democratic Union”. Photo by BGNES

The Regional Court in the city of Targovishte ruled Tuesday to ban and end the non-profit organization Bulgarian Red Crescent.

The organization was registered by the brothers Ali and Yuzeir Yuzeirovi. The two are Bulgarian ethnic Turks and have registered the Red Crescent under their Bulgarian names – Atanas and Rosen Yordanovi.

The Bulgarian Red Cross began a suit against the brothers in the summer of 2009 with requests to strike the organization as illegal and for using without authorization the name and the symbol of the Red Crescent. The Targovishte Prosecutor’s Office moved to disband the association on the grounds that it violated international conventions under which a country can have only one organization called “Red Cross” or “Red Crescent”.

In addition to banning the organization, the magistrates ruled Tuesday that Yuzeirovi must pay the court expenses.

The case can be appealed within the next 2 weeks with the Appellate Court in the Black Sea capital Varna.

The two brothers also spurred public outrage after they build the illegal “Monument of the Unknown Turkish Warrior” in October, after trying to register a political party called “Muslim Democratic Union” in September. The monument has been torn down by the authorities.

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