Notorious Ethnic Turk Denied Registration as Bulgarian Presidential Bidder

Bulgaria's Central Electoral Commission (CEC) has denied registration to the initiative committee behind the presidential and vice-presidential nominations of Atanas Marinov Yordanov (Ali Yuzeirov) and Musa Aliev Huseinov.

According to CEC's ruling, the entity has failed to present proof of the fact that it contains at least 21 eligible voters with a permanent address on the territory on the country.

The refusal note points out that presidential runner Yuzeiov repeatedly presented protocols with the names of the members of the initiative committee, which, however, were found to contradict documents prepared at a session of the committee in Antwerp, Belgium.

The decision is not final and can be appealed with the Supreme Administrative Court (VAS).

Several days ago, Ali Yuzeirov's brother, who chairs the initiative committee, was arrested near CEC's premises at the request of the Targovishte District Prosecutor's Office.

The bigger of the Yuzeirov brothers is under investigation for alleged financial crimes.

He is also being investigated by the Belgium authorities on suspicions of breaching labor laws and hiring illegal workers.

Last year Rosen Yordznov (the ID name of  Yuzeir Yuzeirov) was found guilty on counts of establishing a religious-based party (OTOMAN)  and organizing a rally of the "Muslim Democratic Union" in violation of the Law on Gatherings, Meetings and Manifestations.

He was handed a 1-year suspended sentence with a 3-year trial period.

The abbreviation of the illegal Muslim party OTOMAN stands for "Union for Tolerance, Responsibility, Moral, and Alternative Progress." The party's name bears uncanny connotation to the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria's bitter past under Turkish dominion.

Yuzeirovi have claimed that OTOMAN's main goal is to promote religious and ethnic tolerance. Their similar initiatives in the summer and fall of 2009 have been slammed by many commentators as attempts to stir ethnic and religious tension.

In the fall of 2009, the two brothers erected a monument of the Unknown Turkish/Muslim Soldier near Targovishte, which was torn down by the authorities after court action.

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