Graham Watson Deeply Worried by Attack on Dogan

Sir Graham Watson, president of the European Liberal Democrats, voiced concern about the state of democracy in Bulgaria after he witnessed the attack against Movement for Rights and Freedoms leader Ahmed Dogan in Sofia on Saturday.

Police in Bulgaria detained a man after he pointed a gas pistol at Movement for Rights and Freedoms leader Ahmed Dogan as he was delivering a speech in the capital Sofia on Saturday. No shots were fired. The man was identified as Oktay Enimemehmedov, a 25-year-old ethnic Turkish resident of the city of Burgas.

Dogan's party is affiliated with the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe.

"Liberals have become increasingly concerned about freedom and the rule of law under Prime Minister Boyko Borissov. The European Union may need to mobilise to put the country back on track," Watson has said in a statement, as cited by EurActiv.

"I hope the government will move quickly to establish the forces behind this attempted murder and to bring them to justice."

Dogan resigned his post as party chairman four hours after an attempt was made on his life.  His resignation had been rumored as incoming in the past couple of days.

Lyutvi Mestan was elected as chair of Bulgaria's Movement for Rights and Freedoms party on Saturday.

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