Bulgarian Bishop Hits Reporter to Make Her 'Shut Up'

Eleven out of a total of fifteen Bulgarian Metropolitan bishops have been exposed as collaborators and agents of the country's former Communist State Security. The picture is a collage of Vladmir Doychinov

Bulgaria's Holy Synod has demonstrated significant irritation on the subject of their files exposing them as agents or collaborators of the former Communist State Security.

Reporters have approached the bishops as they gathered for a meeting of the Synod with questions on how they will react to recent revelations that the majority of them have been agents and collaborators of DS.

In mid-January, Bulgaria's so-called Files Commission – a panel investigating the Communist era secret files, exposed eleven out of a total of fifteen Bulgarian Metropolitan bishops as former DS agents.

To a question of a reporter from the State TV BNT on their reaction about the files, the Sliven Metropolitan Amvrosiy countered with the following: "You still remember these files?" while the Vratsa one – Kalinik, slapped the reporter on the face with a newspaper.

When she asked him why he had hit her, the Bishop replied: "I am not hitting you, just trying to close your mouth."

Varna Bishop Kiril firmly denied to offer any comment and Gavrail stated the issue with the files will only be debated if Patriarch Maxim decides to do so.

The Holy Synod indeed had not discussed the subject during the meeting that followed, but rather focused on the upcoming Easter visit of Russian Patriarch Kiril.

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