Former king Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, entertained by Bush in the Oval Office Feb. 25, 2003, was recruited by Soviet secret services during his long exile in Spain.
By Harry de Quetteville
The former king of Bulgaria, who returned to the country after half a century of Communist-imposed exile, was a KGB spy, it has been alleged.
The accusation comes as the country delves through its Communist-era files to discover the identity of former collaborators and informants.
A Tribute to Communism
But instead of producing the intended “healing effect on society”, the process has resulted in political mayhem and mudslinging, with a host of high-profile casualties.
Georgi Parvanov, the current president, has already been denounced as one of 139 leading figures, including 19 serving politicians, who worked as informants for the Soviet-era secret service that riddled Bulgaria until 1989.
But now, members of Bulgaria’s opposition Order, Rule of Law and Justice party (ORLJ) have claimed that former king Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha was recruited by Soviet secret services during his long exile in Spain.
Yane Yanev, the ORLJ leader, alleged that the Saxe-Coburg, who returned to Bulgaria in 1996 amidst scenes of public adulation, was recruited after KGB agents preyed on his weakness for gambling.
“There are undisputed facts and documents proving that Simeon, the ex-king, was noticed by the Russian KGB in the early 60s and was later offered money to pay his gambling debts in exchange for his collaboration with the service,” Mr Yanev told a party meeting.
The accusations have been rejected by the ex-king, who was prime minister for four years after forming his own political party and riding a wave of popularity to victory in 2001 elections.
He suggested that the latest allegations were intended to smear him in the run up to local elections.
1 response so far ↓
kirilova // September 18, 2008 at 3:41 pm
The US fascist regime of Bush and the bulgarian communists, one of the most thuggish people in the world, became “allies”. Bush and co needed a meek colonial administration to carry out their hegemony projects; and the Bulgarian communists sougt ways and means to esccape trials for their crimes against Humanity. Thus, a History irony, both became closest “allies”, the Bulgarian commun ist being the Bush’s most examplary poodles.
SHAME ON BOTH AND ANATHEMA!