The World Jewish Congress condemns in the strongest possible terms a spate of recent antisemitic attacks in the Bulgarian media on the head of the Bulgarian Jewish community that falsely accuse him of criminal wrongdoing.
Dr. Alexander Oscar, the president of the Organization of Jews in Bulgaria – Shalom, is a widely respected physician and the recipient of numerous awards who has spearheaded welfare programs that benefit all members of Bulgarian society. Through his many civil society engagements, he has consistently fought against all forms of hate speech and discrimination and worked to protect democracy.
Despite the fact that both Dr. Oscar and the hospital that employs him have unambiguously repudiated the false and pernicious accusations made against Dr. Oscar, these accusations, which also involve conspiracy theories involving the entire Jewish community, have been perpetuated by certain media outlets in Bulgaria and then via the internet by ordinary citizens as well as nationalist groups.
The World Jewish Congress is appalled by the recklessness of these media outlets in allowing themselves to be used to spread blatantly antisemitic falsehoods that target not just Dr. Oscar but the Bulgarian Jewish community as a whole.
The World Jewish Congress calls on Bulgarian authorities to protect all members of the local Jewish community from such antisemitic manifestations. The WJC is also informing the European Commission Coordinator for Combating Antisemitism about these incidents and asking for additional protection from E.U. institutions for Jewish communities that find themselves increasingly under threat.
About the World Jewish Congress
Media contact
