Boyan Rasate (born Boyan Boyanov Stankov) is a Bulgarian nationalist, leader of the Bulgarian National Union – New Democracy (BNU-ND), chairman of the *Guardia* movement. Honorary member of the *Spanish Phalanx* and national representative of *European Action* (EA) for Bulgaria, former leader of the NGO Bulgarian National Union “Edelweiss” (BNU “Edelweiss”). He is also known for his attack against the LGBTI community in Bulgaria.

On 20 April 1991 he became a member of the *Bulgarian National-Radical Party* (BNRP) and a few months later chairman of its youth organisation. He took part in the building of regional structures and helped the party in the parliamentary elections in the autumn. The party’s chairman, Ivan Georgiev, urges BNRP members to vote for the BSP candidate, Velko Valkanov, chairman of the BLA. Many disagree and leave the party, Rasate was one of them.

In March 1992, a new nationalist organisation, the *Right Democratic Movement* (RDM), was formed from the former youth organisation of the BNRP. The leader of the youth movement was Boyan Rasate. The organization was very active, but existed only 2 years. During its short existence the RDM agitated against Third World immigrants, Gypsies and sects, which were particularly active in those years. In general, the organization stood on anti-communist positions. Several appearances of the RDM caused scandal. More famous are the burning of the Turkish flag on 20th April in front of the Ivan Vazov National Theatre (Sofia, Bulgaria) and Rasate’s threat that, like the German nationalists in Rostock, Germany, they would set fire to the *Academy of Social Sciences and Social Management* dormitories if refugees were housed there. In 1993, due to lack of finances and the suspicion that politicians were using them, the leadership decided to close the organization.

In 2000 Boyan Rasate initiated the establishment of the non-party youth organization Bulgarian National Union (BNU) and became its leader.

The organisation is linked to the European far right. BNU-Edelweiss is part of the *European National Front*, a pan-European nationalist alliance. Among them are the *German College* (in German: Deutsches Kollege), the *National Democratic Party* (in German: NPD) and the *Free Resistance* (in German: Freier Widerstand), the *Belgian Flemish Blok* (Vlaams Blok), the Spanish *Falange* (La Falange), the French *French Guard* (Guarde Franque), the Romanian *New Right* (Romanian: Noua Dreapta), the Dutch *National Alliance* (Nationale Alliantie) and others.

The symbolism of the organisation, although distinctly Bulgarian, resembles in many respects that of the *NSDAP*.

The BNS Edelweiss adopted as its symbol the Dulo family’s IYI sign, which they put on flags and banners, and the slogan “When right becomes lawlessness, resistance is obligatory”.

The organization has a Humanitarian Faculty and a Sports Organization (SO), whose uniform – military black trousers and a beige shirt – evokes much comment and association with Hitler’s storm troopers.

“Edelweiss held dozens of marches, celebrations and participated in almost all civil protests taking place from 2001 to 2011.

BNU-Edelweiss sees itself as a continuation of the *Union of the Bulgarian National Legions*, and as its patron the leader of the organization, Gen. Hristo Nikolov Lukov. The contemporary historian Rumen Daskalov defines the *UBNL* as the first organization with a fully formed fascist character. In his ideology Gen. Lukov and the Union of Bulgarian National Legions adopted the usual extreme nationalist, chauvinist, authoritarian and totalitarian ideas. In addition to these, they also adopt ideas such as single-party rule, elitism, racism, as well as intolerance of liberal individualism and all forms of multi-party parliamentarianism. However, as Daskalov argues, the typically fascist idea of leadership remained underdeveloped, due to a strategic alignment with the then established monarchical regime.

A debut in the public appearances of the Bulgarian National Union was the sabotage of the traditional celebration of 9th of September by the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) sympathizers at the Brothers’ Mound in the Borisov Garden, Sofia. Union’s activists provoked the gathered with shouts and pelted the MPs standing on the rostrum with tomatoes. This caused a scuffle and the intervention of the police, who arrested Rasate and several of his associates. One man died of a heart attack and another had his arm broken. Charges were filed against Boyan Rasate and the others. Due to the inability to prove the actions and guilt of each personally, there was no prosecution and 2 years later the investigation was dropped.

In 2007, after the ethnic clashes in Kvartal. “Boyan Rasate scandalised the public by announcing and demonstrating at the Military Club the creation of the National Guard, a militarised group that would defend the Bulgarian population from the Gypsies. As the basis of the future National Guard, the BNS proposed the units of its own Sports Organization (SO). A number of politicians and public figures, including the President, Prime Minister, Speaker of the National Assembly, and Minister of the Interior, have described Rasate’s actions as “the biggest provocation against the state” in the years of “transition”.

In 2008, he demanded a ban on gay organizations in the country and opposed the intention of the organization “Gemini” to organize a Pride parade. On the day of the parade, Rasate’s men threw bombs and Molotov cocktails against homosexuals. Over 100 people were arrested. Rasate was sentenced to 6 months probation “for obstructing a permitted event and disturbing public order.”

In February 2010, Boyan Rasate decided to step down from the chairmanship as leader of BNU-Edelweiss. He motivated his decision by fatigue, a disagreement with some of the members about the future of the organisation and the constant blame attributed to him by those outside of it that his actions were dividing the nationalists.

In a message distributed to the media, he stressed that “…he does not give up his ideas and will never stop fighting for Bulgaria.”

Three months later Boyan Rasate, along with an associate, were attacked outside his home by unknown assailants and hit with hammers and boxing. The two resisted and the attackers fled, but Rasate was left with multiple contusions to his body and 16 stitches to his head. The attackers remain undetected.

Just a few days after this incident, the yellow newspapers Weekend, Shock and Contra began a campaign against Rasate. From the pages of the party newspaper “Ataka”, Volen Siderov, who was close to the government at the time, also attacked Rasate and also filed a lawsuit for defamation and insult.

In 2010, the new leadership of BNU-Edelweiss expelled Boyan Rasate from the organisation’s structures. The legitimacy of this act is disputed by Rasate, as advertorial and meaningless, since at the date of expulsion he had already left the Organization. As evidence of his expulsion, only the minutes of the convening of a Disciplinary Council are cited, but in fact by that date most of the members had already left the Organization and there is no record of such a council having been convened.

During his time as leader of BNS Edelweiss, Boyan Rasate was repeatedly convicted and detained by the police. More than 15 criminal proceedings related to his political activity have been initiated against him – one arrest for gross violation of public order at an anti-war rally, two arrests for the same at pensioner protests, several cases of racism, discrimination, xenophobia and ethnic segregation. Full list of all cases and criminal proceedings:

1. Criminal proceedings for gross violation of the constitutional right to freedom of expression and infliction of moderate bodily harm – 09. 2001, BSP rally – terminated in 2004.
2. Case of beating and robbery – 2003, on the complaint of a criminal Roma who was then filmed blackmailing Rasate for money, promising to tell the truth in return. The recording was not admitted into evidence by the court – he was convicted[3]
3. Criminal proceedings for contempt of court – 03. 2003, Anti-war rally in front of the US Embassy – terminated
4. Criminal proceeding for resisting police inspection – 2003 – discontinued in 2005.
5. Criminal proceedings for desecration of the national tricolour – 2003, IYI sign on the Bulgarian flag – terminated in 2005.
6. Criminal proceedings for possession of ammunition – 2003, discontinued in 2005.
7. Arrest for violation of public order – 06. 2005, anti-election agitation on the “day of reflection” – administrative fine imposed
8. Criminal proceedings for traffic accident causing death – 2006 – terminated in 2010.
9. Arrest for disturbing public order – 14. 12. 2006, inciting to riot at a pensioners’ protest in front of the National Assembly – administrative fine imposed[3]
10. Arrest at a pensioners’ protest in Asenovgrad – 22. 02. 2007 г.
11. Criminal proceedings for leading an organization whose activity is aimed at inciting racial and ethnic hatred, violating the rights and freedoms of citizens, and establishing a paramilitary structure “National Guard” – 09. 2007 – terminated.
12. Case of racial and discriminatory treatment aimed at implementing racial discrimination and ethnic segregation – 19. 02. 2008 – convicted by the Commission for Protection against Discrimination.
13. Criminal proceedings for incitement to harassment and discrimination against persons with homosexual orientation in R. Bulgaria – 26. 06. 2008 – terminated
14. Case for gross violation of public order – 28. 06. 2008, incitement to riot and self-harm against participants in the first gay pride parade in Bulgaria – convicted
15. Case of racial and discriminatory treatment aimed at racial discrimination and ethnic segregation – 17. 12. 2008 – appealed and acquitted by the Supreme Administrative Court.
16. Case for use of racist and xenophobic language inciting prejudice and discrimination against refugees in Bulgaria – 21. 12. 2010 – convicted by the Commission for Protection against Discrimination
17. Case for using racist and xenophobic language that incites prejudice and discrimination against refugees in Bulgaria – ACTION before the Supreme Administrative Court
18. Defamation and insult case on the complaint of Volen Siderov – 2010 – acquitted
19. Pre-trial inquiry for organizing “Civil Patrols” – 02. 2014 – on the complaint of 11 Gypsy organizations – terminated
20. Private criminal case for insulting “public waste” – 13. 12. 2013 – terminated
21. Pre-trial investigation for the occupation of the Central Election Commission (CEC) – 27. 09. 2014 – terminated
21. Preventive arrest in connection with the visit of Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu – 15. 12. 2015.
In a speech to nationalists he said:

– “We have an advantage over our comrades from all over Europe…, we are strong against the so-called liberals, democrats, anti-fascists, homosexuals and any other rubbish. We are lucky and can enjoy what our western comrades cannot even think of. We can take to the streets, demonstrate, raise our slogans. We can meet the people. And not, as in Germany or Austria, be surrounded by a thick cordon of police to keep us out of the public eye so that the public thinks we are some kind of beasts. We are happy and we still have that freedom. And as long as we have that freedom, we should take advantage of it. That is why we should not waste a day, an hour or a minute in mutual quarrels. But vice versa. Let us come together, let us ally, let us work together and let us crush – literally – let us crush our adversaries. This is our task for the next year, for the year after that and for those years that we dream of achieving… and crush ruthlessly all those who are against nationalism, national resistance and our Fatherland.”(Speech by Boyan Rasate in Plovdiv, November 28, 2009).

See 2021’s October report for more current developments of Rasate.