Notorious brothers Ali Yuzeirov and Yuzeir Yuzeirov intend to set up their “OTOMAN” party on April 2, which is Good Friday for Bulgarian Orthodox Christians.

Ali Yuzeirov has declared that it never crossed their minds that the founding of the new political party will coincide with one of the holiest days for Bulgarian Orthodox Christians, the Trud Daily reports in its Tuesday’s issue.

The wannabe politicians are planning to set up their OTOMAN party in the Tombul Mosque, a famous architectural and historical monument in the northeastern city of Shumen.

They have decided to establish their party on a Friday because of the traditional Friday’s Muslim prayer.

Ali Yuzeirov expects 500 founding members of the new party on April 2. He has announced that he is trying to register a foundation called “Turkish-Blue Crescent”. In his words, if the OTOMAN party is refused court registration, this will cast a doubt on democracy in Bulgaria.

His brother Yuzeir Yuzeirov was the one to announce their intention to found an OTOMAN party on March 1, 2010.

The key figures in the movement for creating the OTOMAN party – an abbreviation bearing uncanny connotation to the Ottoman Empire – include also Menderes Kungyun.

Yuzeir Yuzeirov has been charged over his attempt in 2009 to create a “Muslim Democratic Union” - a party which was refused registration because it was declared unconstitutional as it was based on religious and ethnic principles.

Yuzeirov and his brother became notorious in the fall of 2009 as they erected a monument of the Unknown Turkish/Muslim Soldier near Targovishte, which was torn down by the authorities after court action.

Kungyun is the leader of another political formation that has likewise been refused registration – a Turkish National Movement.

OTOMAN is an abbreviation in Bulgarian which is supposed to stand for “Union for tolerance, responsibility, moral, and alternative progress.”

The founders of the new party claim that its 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 and a test to the stability of Bulgarian democracy and of the Borisov government.