The professional biography of Prof. Martin Ivanov includes a long series of academic and government positions that have established him as a significant researcher. A lecturer in the Department of Sociology at Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski," he has conducted research at prestigious institutions such as those in Cambridge and Edinburgh, as well as at the National University of Ireland. He is the author of over two hundred scientific publications and ten monographs covering the social and economic history of Bulgaria from the National Revival period to the present day. In his professional career, Prof. Ivanov served as Minister of Culture from August 6 to November 7, 2014, Secretary for Culture, Education, and National Identity to President Rosen Plevneliev (2012 – 2017), and between 2016 and 2021, he served as Bulgaria's ambassador to Finland.
It is precisely Prof. Martin Ivanov, as a co-author of the scientific publication "The People's Court in Bulgaria (1944 – 1945). Heroes and Anti-heroes. Volume 1," who will be a key participant in the upcoming event. The meeting will take place on September 17 at 5:30 PM in the courtyard of the Ethnographic Museum – Burgas. The presentation is organized by the Municipality of Burgas and the Regional Historical Museum – Burgas, and admission is free for all who wish to attend.
Eight decades after the events, the tribunal continues to be perceived as one of the darkest episodes of political repression following September 9. Despite this, a comprehensive understanding of what happened during the winter of 1944 – 1945 is still lacking. In response to this gap, a team of historians, students, and doctoral candidates is presenting a collection that, through media and documents, attempts to answer whether the defendants were "fascist criminals," "the flower of the nation," or incidental victims of local conflicts and denunciations.
During the presentation, Prof. Ivanov will reveal details surrounding the creation of a documentary register covering the biographies of over 10,000 Bulgarians who faced the People's Court. The database includes individuals tried by the panels in the following regions:
- Blagoevgrad Region
- Varna Region
- Vratsa Region
- Burgas Region (including the territories of today's Burgas, Sliven, and Yambol regions at the time)
Data for the former Burgas region shows the activity of seven panels, with the results of their proceedings as follows:
- Total number of convicted: 810 people
- Death sentences: 195 (23.8%)
- Life imprisonment: 70 (8.5%)
- Acquitted: 141 people (17.2%)