Hate speech by Serbian politicians and public figures against Bulgaria

Question for written answer  E-000751/2021/rev.1
to the Commission
Rule 138
Angel Dzhambazki (ECR)

In an interview with Professor Dragan Simeunovic, published on 2 February, Bulgarians are presented as beasts and sadists. Simeunovic says Bulgarians have not simply killed, but also tortured, their victims and imposed ‘Bulgarisation’. This fails to correspond in any way to the historical truth. On the contrary, there are many testimonies of atrocities being committed by the Serbian army and Serbian gangs in the Western borders and in Macedonia. Just recently, the Serbian official authorities confiscated a plaque to Bulgarians killed in Bosilegrad and the surrounding area during the First World War.

Then came the accusations by Ivica Dačić, President of the Serbian National Assembly, of Bulgaria having committed ‘fascist crimes’, which also fails to correspond to the historical truth. This begs the following questions:

• 1.Will the Commission seek explanations from the Republic of Serbia as to why attempts are being made through such statements and suggestions to demonise Bulgaria and destabilise the region?
• 2.What action will the Commission take against the increase in hate speech towards Bulgaria?