Four of Bulgarian poet’s children join him in anti-government hunger strike
Four of the six children of Bulgarian poet and political activist Edvin Sugarev have joined him in a hunger strike to demand the resignation of the Bulgarian Socialist Party government, 23 days after he started the hunger strike that has now led to his admission to hospital.
The life of Sugarev, a veteran anti-communist activist who twice before in the past decades embarked on hunger strikes as a form of political protest, was reported not to be in danger.
However, the condition of the 59-year-old vegetarian had after the weeks of going without eating deteriorated to an extent that it was not appropriate to seek to care for him at home.
Earlier this week, Sugarev said that he was in “pretty good” condition, though very weak.
In an open letter, four of Sugarev’s children, all adults, said that in spite of him saying that no one was joining him in the hunger strike, they would not leave him isolated and would participate too. Since the start of his hunger strike on June 26, Sugarev has been joined in it by photographer Nikolai Genov.
Previously, an open letter signed by dozens of intellectuals and public figures appealed to Sugarev to end his hunger strike, saying that the sacrifice was too great.
Daughter Teya Sugareva told public broadcaster Bulgarian National Radio that the four had decided to join the hunger strike so that the public could have greater power.
“People want more transparency from politicians. This is a way in which citizens can regulate those in power. The government and this parliament have proved that they are not capable of understanding, in terms of the appointments and the laws that they have made,” Sugareva said.
Anti-government protests, which daily have drawn tens of thousands of people to the streets of Sofia and other major cities, entered their 34th day on June 17. Protesters want the resignation of the BSP government, which they see as discredited, and reforms to the electoral system ahead of fresh elections.
(Photo: Clive Leviev-Sawyer)
