Bulgarian Self-Immolator behind Memorial 'Pussy Riot' Makeover

Varna man, Plamen Goranov, who passed away last Sunday after setting himself on fire, has been behind the decoration of the Bulgarian-Soviet Friendship memorial in the Black Sea city of Varna with colorful hoods, his friends revealed.

The makeover, which happened in August 2012, was believed to be a protest against the controversial two-year sentences received by three Russian band Pussy Riot members

The hoods were placed overnight on the statues of the memorial, one of the tallest in the Balkan country.

Also in August, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, 22, Maria Alyokhina, 24, and Yekaterina Samutsevich, 30, were found guilty of what the court claimed was "hooliganism motivated by religious hatred."

The trio performed an anti-Kremlin "punk prayer" in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in late February 2012.

Goranov, 36, an avid amateur photographer and mountain climber, took the drastic action of self-immolation on February 20, amid a wave of massive protests across the country against poverty, economic stagnation and corruption.

In addition to demanding the resignation of fourth-term Varna Mayor, Kiril Yordanov, he 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.

Bulgarians, especially those on social networks, have called him a martyr of the protests in comparing him with Czech student, Jan Palach.

Goranov died on March 3, which many have seen as symbolic since the day is the country's national holiday when Bulgaria celebrates its liberation from 5 centuries of Ottoman rule.

His condition worsened in the evening and he succumbed to multiple organ failure, after being for several days on induced coma.

Silent vigils were held across Bulgaria as news of the young man's death was released from Varna's Military Hospital. March 6 was declared a national day of mourning for him. The Mayor resigned on the very same day.

Crowds have been gathering before the City Hall in Varna to bow to Plamen. In addition to honoring him by a minute of silence and lighting candles, some began carrying stones and rocks to the site, inspired by a well-known poem of Bulgarian national poet Ivan Vazov, dubbed "Heap of Stones" in sign of indignation and protest against the Mayor and TIM.

Signs sprayed on the sidewalk read "Thank You for Waking Us Up," "Thank You for the Hope," "Varna's Bravest Man," and "There Is No Death, There Is Only Victory," among others.

Varna residents have started collecting funds to erect a monument of Plamen there. They have also asked for the square to be named "Flame."

Plamen derives from the Bulgarian word for flame.

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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