Предсмъртните писма на Никола Д. Петков до Георги Димитров и Васил Коларов (19 август – 22 септември 1947 г.)
The Death Letters of Nikola D. Petkov to Georgi Dimitrov and Vasil Kolarov (19 August – 23 September 1947)

Summary/Abstract: Nikola D. Petkov is one of the eminent social and political figures of Bulgaria in the 30s and the 40s of our century. He is a member of the Bulgarian Agrarian Union. Follower of the ideas of Al. Stamboliiski, he is a defender of the principles of the parliamentary democracy and actively takes part in the struggle against the authoritarian regime of King Boris and against fascism. In the years of the Second World War he is on anti-fascist positions and participates in the Bulgarian resistance movement as one of the creators and active participants in the Fatherland Front. He takes place in the political preparation of the taking of the power on the 9th of September 1944. He is a minister without portfolio in the first cabinet of the Fatherland Front. In August 1945, he passes in the Fatherland Front opposition. Leader of the united democratic opposition, N. Petkov defends the principles of the parliamentary democracy, pronounces himself against the political line of BWP (c) and its allies in the Fatherland Front, for the true liquidation of the multi-party system and against the tendency of confirmation of one-party government of the communist party of a Soviet type. Stating the priority orientation in the foreign politics towards USSR, he is for friendly relations with the western type democracies. Aiming to defeat the opposition in Bulgaria, in 1947 the BWP (c) makes a trial against N. Petkov. On the 16th of August he is sentenced to death and executed on the 23rd of September, the same year. In this short period, from the 16th of August, N. Petkov writes five letters to Georgi Dimitrov – Prime Minister of the Council of Ministers, and four letters to Vasil Kolarov – President of the People’s Republic of Bulgaria, with a clemency appeal. In them he once again reveals his political statements and actions in opposition and underlines that they are in the tone of the opposition and the national interests of Bulgaria. The letters give considerable and valuable information for the political life in the country for the given period 1944–1947.

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