Ecoglasnost
Encyclopedia
Ecoglasnost also known as Independent Society of Ecoglasnost , is an independent Bulgaria
n environmental
organization, established on 11 April 1989 and formally registered on 11 December 1989. Ecoglasnost became a founding member of the umbrella opposition movement Union of Democratic Forces
on 7 December 1989, and gave rise to the Green Party of Bulgaria
on 28 December 1989, the Political Club of Ecoglasnost in March 1990, and the National Movement of Ecoglasnost on 15 June 1991.
Focusing its activities on several major environmental,
human rights
and political issues, the organization rapidly gained public support to become the leading opposition to the Communist Party
:
In particular, Ecoglasnost organized public petitions, lobbying
and demonstrations
against the controversial projects of diverting Struma and Mesta
Rivers waters to the north, and building the Belene Nuclear Power Plant
. Position papers and reports on these issues and on the preservation of Bulgarian nature heritage
were disseminated as samizdat
, made available to domestic and Western
media
, and submitted to national authorities as well as to the 35-nation CSCE
Meeting on the Protection of the Environment held in Sofia from 16 October to 3 November 1989.
Ecoglasnost played an important role in the political process that lead to the regime change
marked by the downfall of the long time communist ruler Todor Zhivkov
on 10 November 1989, paving the way to the restoration of democracy
and market economy
in Bulgaria:
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 environmental
Environmental movement
The environmental movement, a term that includes the conservation and green politics, is a diverse scientific, social, and political movement for addressing environmental issues....
organization, established on 11 April 1989 and formally registered on 11 December 1989. Ecoglasnost became a founding member of the umbrella opposition movement Union of Democratic Forces
Union of Democratic Forces (Bulgaria)
The Union of Democratic Forces is a political party in Bulgaria, founded in 1989 as a union of several political organizations in opposition to the communist government. In February 1997 the Union was transformed into a single unified party with the same name...
on 7 December 1989, and gave rise to the Green Party of Bulgaria
Green Party of Bulgaria
The Green Party of Bulgaria is a political party in Bulgaria. It is part of the Coalition for Bulgaria, an alliance led by the Bulgarian Socialist Party...
on 28 December 1989, the Political Club of Ecoglasnost in March 1990, and the National Movement of Ecoglasnost on 15 June 1991.
Focusing its activities on several major environmental,
human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
and political issues, the organization rapidly gained public support to become the leading opposition to the Communist Party
Bulgarian Communist Party
The Bulgarian Communist Party was the communist and Marxist-Leninist ruling party of the People's Republic of Bulgaria from 1946 until 1990 when the country ceased to be a communist state...
:
In particular, Ecoglasnost organized public petitions, lobbying
Lobbying
Lobbying is the act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in the government, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying is done by various people or groups, from private-sector individuals or corporations, fellow legislators or government officials, or...
and demonstrations
Demonstration (people)
A demonstration or street protest is action by a mass group or collection of groups of people in favor of a political or other cause; it normally consists of walking in a mass march formation and either beginning with or meeting at a designated endpoint, or rally, to hear speakers.Actions such as...
against the controversial projects of diverting Struma and Mesta
Mesta River
The Nestos or Mesta , formerly the Mesta Karasu , is a river in Bulgaria and Greece. It rises in the Rila Mountains and flows into the Aegean Sea near the island of Thasos. It plunges down towering canyons toward the Aegean Sea through mostly metamorphic formations...
Rivers waters to the north, and building the Belene Nuclear Power Plant
Belene Nuclear Power Plant
The Belene Nuclear Power Plant is a nuclear power plant currently under construction 3 km from Belene and 11 km from Svishtov in Pleven Province, northern Bulgaria, near the Danube River...
. Position papers and reports on these issues and on the preservation of Bulgarian nature heritage
Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...
were disseminated as samizdat
Samizdat
Samizdat was a key form of dissident activity across the Soviet bloc in which individuals reproduced censored publications by hand and passed the documents from reader to reader...
, made available to domestic and Western
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
media
Mass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
, and submitted to national authorities as well as to the 35-nation CSCE
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe is the world's largest security-oriented intergovernmental organization. Its mandate includes issues such as arms control, human rights, freedom of the press and fair elections...
Meeting on the Protection of the Environment held in Sofia from 16 October to 3 November 1989.
Ecoglasnost played an important role in the political process that lead to the regime change
Regime change
"Regime change" is the replacement of one regime with another. Use of the term dates to at least 1925.Regime change can occur through conquest by a foreign power, revolution, coup d'état or reconstruction following the failure of a state...
marked by the downfall of the long time communist ruler 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....
on 10 November 1989, paving the way to the restoration of democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
and market economy
Market economy
A market economy is an economy in which the prices of goods and services are determined in a free price system. This is often contrasted with a state-directed or planned economy. Market economies can range from hypothetically pure laissez-faire variants to an assortment of real-world mixed...
in Bulgaria: