Andrey Lukanov
Encyclopedia
Andrey Karlov Lukanov (September 26, 1938 - October 2, 1996) was a Bulgaria
n political figure.
, USSR, in the family of Karlo Lukanov
, (1897-1982), a Bulgarian communist
emigre.
Lukanov's family moved back to Bulgaria after the communist takeover of 1944. His father became an important figure in the party and served as foreign minister
of Bulgaria from 1956 to 1961. Andrey became a member of the party in 1963 and began a career in the foreign service. He helped represent Bulgaria in the United Nations
and Comecon
. He rose through the ranks of the foreign service to become minister of foreign economic affairs in 1987. He resigned from this position in 1989 and took part in the overthrow of longtime leader Todor Zhivkov
. Lukanov became a leading member of the reformist wing of the communist party, and served as Bulgaria's last communist prime minister, from February 3, 1990 to December 7, 1990. His years in office were marked by corruption , huge consumer goods deficit, and civil unrest.
Lukanov was charged with embezzlement
in 1992 and arrested, but charges were soon dropped. During his time in the foreign service, Lukanov had gained connections with western businessmen such as Robert Maxwell
and engaged in controversial business dealings. He is also sometimes held responsible for Bulgaria's foreign debt.
Lukanov remained an active political participant in the Bulgarian Socialist Party
until his death. In 1995, he began criticizing various members whom he believed were not reformist enough and or had Stalinist
tendencies.
Lukanov was assassinated outside his apartment building in Sofia, Bulgaria. He was shot in the head and chest by a lone gunman who fled and was never captured. The motive for Lukanov's murder is not known, but a common theory is that he was killed by a hired assassin, probably paid for by a political or business enemy, from the same communist circles he belonged to.
Some believe that the murder was staged and that Lukanov is still alive. According to court jury member and former BSP
member Mihail Mihailov the plan to stage the murder was carried out by Rumen Petkov, then mayor of Pleven
and senior member of BSP. Mihailov says that Lukanov later underwent plastic surgery, and once publicly threatened Petkov to ask for the exhumation of Lukanov's grave, which would show that Lukanov's body was not in it.
A Bulgarian building contractor - Angel Vassilev - close to the Socialist government at the time was arrested and charged with organizing Lukanov's murder. Due to Lukanov's complex connection with Russia and other former communist countries, as well as with former communist circles in Bulgaria, it is doubted the truth about his death will be revealed.
After a long trial and at first a conviction the appeals court declared all the defendants innocent, raising even more questions about the assassination of one of Bulgaria's most influential Communist-era politicians.
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n political figure.
Biography
Lukanov was born in MoscowMoscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, USSR, in the family of Karlo Lukanov
Karlo Lukanov
Karlo Todorov Lukanov was a Bulgarian politician of the Bulgarian Communist Party and Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1956 to 1962. His father Todor Lukanov and his son Andrey Lukanov were both prominent socialist and communist politicians.- Biography :...
, (1897-1982), a Bulgarian communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
emigre.
Lukanov's family moved back to Bulgaria after the communist takeover of 1944. His father became an important figure in the party and served as foreign minister
Foreign minister
A Minister of Foreign Affairs, or foreign minister, is a cabinet minister who helps form the foreign policy of a sovereign state. The foreign minister is often regarded as the most senior ministerial position below that of the head of government . It is often granted to the deputy prime minister in...
of Bulgaria from 1956 to 1961. Andrey became a member of the party in 1963 and began a career in the foreign service. He helped represent Bulgaria in the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
and Comecon
Comecon
The Council for Mutual Economic Assistance , 1949–1991, was an economic organisation under hegemony of Soviet Union comprising the countries of the Eastern Bloc along with a number of communist states elsewhere in the world...
. He rose through the ranks of the foreign service to become minister of foreign economic affairs in 1987. He resigned from this position in 1989 and took part in the overthrow of longtime leader Todor Zhivkov
Todor Zhivkov
Todor Khristov Zhivkov was a communist politician and leader of the People's Republic of Bulgaria from March 4, 1954 until November 10, 1989....
. Lukanov became a leading member of the reformist wing of the communist party, and served as Bulgaria's last communist prime minister, from February 3, 1990 to December 7, 1990. His years in office were marked by corruption , huge consumer goods deficit, and civil unrest.
Lukanov was charged with embezzlement
Embezzlement
Embezzlement is the act of dishonestly appropriating or secreting assets by one or more individuals to whom such assets have been entrusted....
in 1992 and arrested, but charges were soon dropped. During his time in the foreign service, Lukanov had gained connections with western businessmen such as Robert Maxwell
Robert Maxwell
Ian Robert Maxwell MC was a Czechoslovakian-born British media proprietor and former Member of Parliament , who rose from poverty to build an extensive publishing empire...
and engaged in controversial business dealings. He is also sometimes held responsible for Bulgaria's foreign debt.
Lukanov remained an active political participant in the Bulgarian Socialist Party
Bulgarian Socialist Party
The Bulgarian Socialist Party is social-democratic political party in Bulgaria and successor to the Bulgarian Communist Party. The BSP is a member of the Party of European Socialists and Socialist International, and is currently led by Sergei Stanishev....
until his death. In 1995, he began criticizing various members whom he believed were not reformist enough and or had Stalinist
Stalinism
Stalinism refers to the ideology that Joseph Stalin conceived and implemented in the Soviet Union, and is generally considered a branch of Marxist–Leninist ideology but considered by some historians to be a significant deviation from this philosophy...
tendencies.
Lukanov was assassinated outside his apartment building in Sofia, Bulgaria. He was shot in the head and chest by a lone gunman who fled and was never captured. The motive for Lukanov's murder is not known, but a common theory is that he was killed by a hired assassin, probably paid for by a political or business enemy, from the same communist circles he belonged to.
Some believe that the murder was staged and that Lukanov is still alive. According to court jury member and former BSP
Bulgarian Socialist Party
The Bulgarian Socialist Party is social-democratic political party in Bulgaria and successor to the Bulgarian Communist Party. The BSP is a member of the Party of European Socialists and Socialist International, and is currently led by Sergei Stanishev....
member Mihail Mihailov the plan to stage the murder was carried out by Rumen Petkov, then mayor of Pleven
Pleven
Pleven is the seventh most populous city in Bulgaria. Located in the northern part of the country, it is the administrative centre of Pleven Province, as well as of the subordinate Pleven municipality...
and senior member of BSP. Mihailov says that Lukanov later underwent plastic surgery, and once publicly threatened Petkov to ask for the exhumation of Lukanov's grave, which would show that Lukanov's body was not in it.
A Bulgarian building contractor - Angel Vassilev - close to the Socialist government at the time was arrested and charged with organizing Lukanov's murder. Due to Lukanov's complex connection with Russia and other former communist countries, as well as with former communist circles in Bulgaria, it is doubted the truth about his death will be revealed.
After a long trial and at first a conviction the appeals court declared all the defendants innocent, raising even more questions about the assassination of one of Bulgaria's most influential Communist-era politicians.