Bulgaria Calls National Mourning to Honor Man Who Set Himself Ablaze

The resigned Bulgarian government has declared Wednesday, March 6, a day of national mourning in commemoration of Plamen Goranov, who perished Sunday after setting himself aflame.

Goranov, 36, took the drastic action on February 20, amid a wave of massive protests across the country against poverty, economic stagnation and corruption.

Goranov was one of the few to explicitly blame shady TIM business group, centered in Varna, for the dire situation in the country and in the north-east in particular.

Vigils were held across Bulgaria on Monday, as news of the young man's death were relased from Varna's Military Hospital.

Goranov's was the second of a string of three self-immolations that shocked Bulgaria as political and economic stability deteriorated.

26-year-old Traian Marechkov set himself on fire and died soon after in Veliko Tarnovo on February 19, having explained he is too despaired to live on.

53-year-old Ventsislav Vasiliev set himself on fire in Radnevo on February 26, having explained he has long lived in great poverty. He is currently hospitalized in a critical condition.

Plamen Goranov was a politically aware and active young man, and his extreme action is widely seen as being politically motivated.

The center-right government of Bulgarian PM Boyko Borisov resigned amid protests on February 20, with snap elections to be probably held May 12, just two months ahead of the regular date in July.

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