50,000 Bulgarians Stage Pro-Democracy Rally

SOFIA, Bulgaria —  More than 50,000 Bulgarians, frustrated with the slow pace of reform in their country, rallied in central Sofia on Sunday to protest against the ruling Communist Party.

Witnesses said that the crowd, which packed a square and side streets near party headquarters, waved banners with slogans such as “Enough Nightmares!” and “Liberty, Freedom, Justice!” Others chanted “Down with the Bulgarian Communist Party!”

Members of the opposition Union of Democratic Forces, which organized the rally, were cheered as they called for an end to Communist rule.

Bulgaria’s new Communist leaders, who ousted Todor Zhivkov last November, have renounced their automatic right to rule and begun roundtable talks with the once-banned opposition groups.