The National Union Attack (Bulgarian: Национален съюз Атака, Natsionalen sayuz "Ataka") is a nationalist political party in Bulgaria. At the last legislative elections, 5 July 2009, it won 9.4% of the popular vote and 21 out of 240 seats. In the 2009 European Parliament elections Attack won 12.0% of the vote, giving them two seats in the European Parliament.
National Union Attack was formed by the National Movement for the Salvation of the Fatherland (Natsionalno Dvizhenie za Spasenie na Otechestvoto), the Bulgarian National Patriotic Party (Bǎlgarska Natsionalna-Patriotichna Partiya) and the Union of Patriotic Forces and Militaries of the Reserve Defense (Sǎyuz na Patriotichnite Sili i Voinite ot Zapassa - Zashtita). Led by TV host Volen Siderov, the coalition was created just two months before the elections. Siderov first created a party with that name, but its registration was delayed by the court so it could not participate in the elections by itself.
The coalition's leaders have criticized Bulgaria's ethnic minorities for allegedly being too privileged, they have accused the entire Bulgarian political establishment of being corrupt, and are opposed to NATO, the Iraq War and closer ties with the USA. Although the coalition is not particularly against Bulgaria's European Union membership, it has strongly demanded a revision of some of the previous agreements (e.g. the resolution on shutting down the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant near the Danube).
The sudden success of Attack has been attributed as the main cause of the poor performance (31%) of the Bulgarian Socialist Party, in the 2005 election. Prominent figures in the Union Attack have included Ognyan Saparev, Rumen Vodenicharov and Stella Bankova (who left the party in 2006).
Ideology
The party's two program documents, the '20 Principles' and the 'Program Scheme' feature a number of nationalistic characteristics. They define Bulgaria as a one-nation state and assert the supremacy of the state and the 'Bulgarian nation' above ethnic and religious diversity, but at the same time want to have an official religion and participation of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church in legislative work and in all important government decisions, as well as teaching of the Church's doctrine in primary school. The '20 Principles' envisage formulating a crime of 'national betrayal' and criminal prosecution of the 'national traitors'. Attack has so far called most of the present-day politicians, human rights and minority rights activists 'national traitors'. The '20 Principles' also envisage sanctions for defamation of the 'Bulgarian national sacraments' and for 'slurs' against Bulgaria. Anti-establishment and anti-Western slogans have been traditionally associated with the left in Bulgaria, and Attack is nearly universally understood as a far-right party, whether in media coverage, political platform, or allies in the European parliament. Attack members themselves have said that the movement is 'neither left, nor right but Bulgarian'.
Political activity
Opinion survey results from March 2006 showed a significant increase in support for Attack. It ranked second after the BSP (Bulgarian Socialist Party) and ahead of the former ruling party NDSV (National Movement for Simeon II) and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms. On March 3, 2006, party leader Siderov called for a meeting to be held in Sofia, and around 10,000 people came to hear speeches by him and other members of the party. During this rally Siderov declared "Bulgaria is not yet free. Bulgaria is still under Turkish rule". Party speakers protested against the ruling government in Bulgaria for forming an alliance with the Movement for Rights and Freedoms and allegedly ignoring ethnic Bulgarian interests. Earlier in 2006, Siderov organized a petition against a decision by the Bulgarian government to set up US military bases in Bulgaria. In October, he came second in the first round of the 2006 presidential election, but lost in the second round after receiving around a quarter of the vote.
On March 3, 2009 Ataka organized a procession, attended by about 10,000, to celebrate the liberation of Bulgaria from "500 years of enslavement by the Ottomans". Some traditional political formations in Bulgaria have avoided contact and debate with the party - the party claim this is because "[they have] been scared from being involved in any debates with Ataka, as they know they would never win". SKAT TV - a broadcaster broadly sympathetic to the party's view - have been subject to deletion from some cable TV providers in Bulgaria. Ataka claims this is a "pre-election trick by the government, in order to silence one of its main competitors in the election"; however, independent sources cite consumer complaints and hate speech as the reasons for the channel being dropped by some providers.
In the European Parliament elections of June 7, 2009, the party's share was 12%. This placed them in fourth place, behind the ascending Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria, the governing Coalition for Bulgaria and the pro-minority Movement for Rights and Freedoms. This gives them two European Parliament seats out of Bulgaria's 17.
