Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2024 All Rights Reserved

40 years since the assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II

Photo: Library

Today marks the 40th anniversary of the attempted assassination of Pope John Paul II in St. Peter's Square in Rome. The Bulgarian Sergei Antonov, an employee of the BGA Balkan office in Rome, was accused of complicity in the attack on May 13, 1981. The news of the "Bulgarian trace" in the attempted assassination travelled around the world in a flash.

On March 29, 1986, an Italian court acquitted Antonov, and the assassin, Ali Agca, remained in prison for life. On April 1, 1986, after 1,222 days behind bars in an Italian prison, Antonov returned to Sofia in a severe physical and mental condition, diagnosed with cerebral atrophy caused by psychotropic drugs which, according to doctors, were forcibly administered to him in prison.
In May 2002, during his official visit to Bulgaria at a meeting with President Georgi Parvanov, Pope John Paul II stated: "I never believed in the so-called Bulgarian trace in the assassination attempt against me, it was an insinuation and a great injustice to the Bulgarian people.”. 
You can read more on this topic HERE.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Weather forecast: Sun on Saturday, rain on Sunday

On Saturday minimum temperatures in the country will range from 5 to 10° C., for Sofia 5 ° C. In the morning there will be significant clouds over the Eastern and Southern-most parts though no precipitation is in the forecast. During the day the..

published on 5/10/24 6:05 PM

Bulgaria sees increase in the number of Ukrainian refugees

Two years after the start of the war in Ukraine, the refugee flow does not stop and is currently increasing again after a certain decline . This is claimed by Ukrainians living in Bulgaria who help with the adaptation of the newly arriving Ukrainian..

published on 5/10/24 6:01 PM
SANS chairman Plamen Tonchev

SANS before the elections: We are also monitoring for interference by foreign countries

"The Ministry of the Interior will show that it is a depoliticized system and belongs only to Bulgarian citizens". This was assured on the first day of the pre-election campaign for the European Parliament and 50th National Assembly elections on June 9..

published on 5/10/24 5:54 PM