The emblematic until recently date September 9, marking Bulgaria's anti-fascist uprising in 1944, will be marked in polar ways by political forces here.

Celebrations across the country, initiated by the Socialist Party, will mark the 67th anniversary since the communist take-over, while members of the democracy-forbearer, the Union of Democratic Forces, will bow heads to commemorate the victims of the regime.

In Sofia hundreds of people are expected to gather in front of the Brothers' Burial Mound at a rally to mark the anniversary. Flowers will be laid at the Unknown Soldier and Russian Army Monument in Sofia and heads bowed at the Common Grave remembering the victims of anti-fascism fight.

Meanwhile right-wing politicians and supporters will attend a solemn mass in memory of the thousands of people whose lives paid for the Communists staying in power for half a century. They will lay wreaths and flowers at the memorial monument in front of the National Palace of Culture.

A violent communist takeover took place in Bulgaria on September 9, 1944 after the entry of Soviet troops into the country during World War II. September 9 was Bulgaria's national holiday until 1989 when the communist regime collapsed.

The Bulgarian Socialist Party, successor of the Bulgarian Communist Party, won the country's first free election and stayed in office by 1991.

The election in December 1994 returned the BSP to power with an absolute majority, but the political fallout from a severe economic crisis in 1996-97 forced an early general election in April 1997, which was won by a UDF-led centre-right coalition.

The Bulgarian Socialist Party returned to power in the parliamentary elections in 2005 only to suffer a humiliating defeat four years later, when it was ousted by the square-jawed, tough talking ex-wrestler and ex-Sofia mayor Boyko Borisov.

Interestingly, Bulgaria's anti-fascist uprising in 1944, has been named the most important event in the country for the past century by Bulgarians.

The communist take-over garnered 24,29% of the votes in a poll conducted at the beginning of last year, which aimed to elect the most important events for Bulgaria over the past century in different fields of life. The on-line and text messaging campaign was organized by the Bulgarian National Television.

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