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The scandal at the "Ivan Vazov" National Theater was brought to court. After the public witnessed for months the deepening conflict between director Vasil Vassilev and director Alexander Morfov, which led not only to his disciplinary dismissal, but also to a division in the guild, now the court was involved in the dispute, reports news.lex.bg.
In the Sofia District Court, two cases were opened in connection with the tension between Morfov and Vassilev.
The first is the claim of the actor Valery Yordanov against Vasil Vassilev.
Yordanov claims that his state of health seriously deteriorated after he learned that an investigation had begun against his "spiritual father" Alexander Morfov.
Because of this, he filed a lawsuit for non-property damages, claiming compensation of BGN 10,000, but so far he has filed a partial claim for BGN 1,000.
The second case is based on the complaint of the director of the theater, who felt insulted by the statement of the actor Kamen Donev, who in an interview with BTV called Vasilev a "little Turk", a "little man" and said that he was "not a literate person".
The director of the National Theater insists that Donev be found guilty of insult and pay him BGN 2,500 for non-property damages.
The beginning of the conflict
Last year, the former DPS publicist
The Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) is a centrist political party in Bulgaria, using Velislava Krasteva was appointed as the head of "Public Relations" at the National Theatre.
In the parliamentary elections on October 2
she accompanied the honorary chairman of the party Ahmed Dogan
Ahmed Demir Dogan was born on March 29, 1954 in the village of Pchelarovo, Dobrich, but spent most of his life at the ballot box.
In protest against this action by Krasteva, the main director Alexander Morfov scratched the door of her office with the words "DPS
The Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) is a centrist political party in Bulgaria, using " and "Disappear".
Then he wrote "Official office of DPS
The Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) is a centrist political party in Bulgaria, using "and at the door of the office of director Vasil Vassilev.
In front of Slaveykov Square, the director explained that this was his protest against the "brainless party headquarters" created by Vasil Vassilev in the National Theater and against his method of ruling as "a one-man feudal lord, playing on the thin note of the poor man's weakness."
The director of the National Theater, in turn, ordered an internal investigation to be carried out and explanations to be taken from "the person Alexander Morfov" and from witnesses of his conflict with PR Krasteva, who filed a complaint against the director two weeks after the door was scratched.
In it, she claimed that since September 2022 she had been subjected to harassment, with "insulting, mocking remarks and scathing comments" directed at her.
It also reached the police, where Morfov was called to give explanations.
The troupe of the National Theater split up.
Some supported director Vassilev with a signature, while others demanded his resignation.
The high point in the scandal was reached in February, when Vasil Vassilev changed the Organizational Regulations of the National Theater and abolished the positions of "Head of Public Relations" and "Chief Director".
As a result, Velislava Krasteva left on March 1, and Morfov was disciplinary dismissed for violation of labor discipline, damage to the good name of the National Theater and disloyalty to the employer.
The dismissal of the director caused a protest by actors who called on politicians and businessmen not to interfere in the work of the cultural institution.
In the first ranks of the protest were the actors Valeri Yordanov and Kamen Donev, who are also the main actors in the two cases filed in the SRS.
The Minister of Culture: It is not good for a party's PR to be the PR of the National Theatre
Valeri Yordanov vs. Vasil Vasilev
In mid-March, Valeri Yordanov submitted a claim to the court under Art.
45 of the Law on Obligations and Contracts (ZZD), with which he brings a partial claim of BGN 1,000 for a claim price of BGN 10,000 against the director of the National Theater Vasil Vassilev.
The actor claims that as a result of the actions against Alexander Morfov, his state of health has worsened, which is why he claims compensation for non-pecuniary damages.
"For many years, Valery Yordanov has participated in various landmark performances for the National Theater, one of which is "Hashes" - directed by Alexander Morfov.
Due to their many years of working together with both the director and the rest of the cast, they are, in addition to colleagues, also close friends and mutually supportive and have always stood united under the common cause of preserving the authority of the theater - an institution in which they play and are aimed at protecting his good name and authority," the claim reads.
On November 17 of this year, immediately before the "Hushes" performance, Yordanov was personally handed an order by the director of the theater, with which a commission was formed, with the task of establishing whether Morfov was to blame for the scratched door of the office of publicist Velislava Krasteva.
"Yordanov was shocked at how such an investigation could be carried out and, accordingly, be purposefully tarnished by the director he respected and supported, whom he felt was his 'spiritual father.'
In connection with the stress experienced immediately before the performance, Yordanov felt bad and barely played the same," says the application to the court.
It is further explained that the actor has been diabetic since an early age and such stressful situations have an extremely negative effect on his health.
After the performance, he felt dizzy, sick.
Although he was on 10 units of rapid insulin, which was a high dose for him, his condition did not improve.
The next day he sought medical help at the "St.
Ivan Rilski".
After an examination, it was found that his blood sugar levels were more than three times the normal range, his blood pressure was also high - 166/110.
The doctor concluded that his condition was probably due to "nervous mental overstrain."
On November 28, 2022, when the scandal at the National Theater had already grown, Yordanov was summoned to Vassilev's office, where he was explicitly reminded that he had signed a job description, according to which he should not tarnish the name of the theater.
This case increased the tension for the actor, because he had a good reputation among his colleagues and felt affected and bitter by the director's behavior, Yordanov claims in his lawsuit.
"After the initial stress and poor health at the handing over of the order and Vassilev's subsequent actions, Yordanov's health continued to deteriorate.
All the stress in connection with the actions of the director of the National Theater "Ivan Vazov" suddenly worsened Yordanov's health, and despite timely medical intervention, on December 5, 2022, he was urgently hospitalized.
He was admitted for hospital treatment to control his blood sugar levels.
At the time of his admission, as a result of the strong stress, Yordanov was in a serious state of health and underwent hospital treatment for a period of one week," the application also states.
It notes that as a result of the action of the director of the National Theater, the actor experienced severe stress, which also affected his health.
Because of this, Valeri Yordanov insists that the court respect his claim.
Valeri Yordanov for Vasil Vassilev: A director cannot be a feudal lord!
Vasil Vasilev vs. Kamen Donev
The director of the National Theater "Ivan Vazov" filed a case for public insult against the actor Kamen Donev.
The reason for this is Donev's participation in the program "This Saturday" on bTV on February 18, when he was asked to comment on the conflict between Vasilev and Alexander Morfov.
"Things happened at the National Theater that I won't mention here, because we go into the kitchen a lot, which are inadmissible.
Now, these things may not be in violation of administrative rules, but they are violations of the moral and professional rules that have occurred, and for that alone, I am convinced that this person who is currently the director there should just be replaced right now .
This is my opinion, my personal opinion, and I don't want to say harsh words, but I would say that in art there is no place for small talk, and in any field of life, but especially in art, because the stage, art, it is one declaration, it is a message, it is an expression, it is an address to the people.
I think that Sasho has nothing to comment here either, over the years he has shown what it is like to be able to do this, while this man, who is currently the director,
has not shown anything.
I even had a stupid incident with him years ago, which I will not share in front of people, and even then I realized that he is not a good person.
Well, it's better to leave and appoint another director," answered Kamen Donev.
Vasil Vasilev states that he watched the interview and felt offended.
In the complaint, his lawyer Lora Georgieva wrote that with the insulting expressions "little Turk", "little man" and "he is not a literate person", Kamen Donev said something humiliating about the honor and dignity of Vassilev and this was done intentionally.
"The insulting expressions expressed in negative epithets and qualifications were carried out in public, they were distributed through one of the mass media, namely on the air of the national television bTV, as well as they were directed and addressed against an official during and on the occasion of the implementation of his office or function," the lawyer wrote.
She adds that Vassilev felt extremely offended not only while watching the show, but also afterwards.
The lawyer cited the Dictionary of Bulgarian words to clarify the meaning of the three expressions used by Kamen Donev.
"Mizhiturka" means a person who has no dignity or self-esteem and is ready to please, to flatter himself, usually for a benefit.
Synonyms of the word are shushumiga, petty, timid, limited, moldy.
"Man" is a pitiful, insignificant person, and "chitav" means unharmed, whole.
"Regarding the expression used by Kamen Donev, that Vasil Vasilev is "not a literate person", it should be borne in mind that when you define someone in this way, a negative meaning is undoubtedly attached, that this person is not worthy, not worth, not is good in the general sense," explains the lawyer.
She adds that Donev's words not only humiliated Vassilev's honor and dignity, but also caused him pain and suffering, serious emotional discomfort, additional stress, tension and generally caused his health to deteriorate.
He could not sleep, was anxious and worried, including the fact that many people, including his relatives and colleagues, had heard the offensive words that damaged his good name and self-esteem.
It is also noted in the complaint that according to Art.
39, para.
1 of the Constitution, everyone has the right to express an opinion and to spread it, but this right cannot be used to harm the rights and good name of another.
"In this particular case, the degree of impact on society's assessment of Vassilev is high, as a public figure participating in the public and cultural life of the country is affected, as well as due to the fact that the insults objectify a personal evaluative opinion about the personality and professionalism of the confidant to me and to certain of his qualities, which is insulting and humiliating," lawyer Georgieva points out.
She points out that the fair amount of compensation, which could to a certain extent compensate for non-property damages suffered by Vassilev, is BGN 2,500 and the interest on this amount, insisting that Kamen Donev be found guilty of publicly insulting the director of The National Theatre.
Kamen Donev: We will carry this stupidity that befell Bulgaria like a cross for a long time
Ahmed Dogan
DPS
velislava cross
Vasil Vasilev
scandal
Kamen Donev
National Theatre
Valery Yordanov
Alexander Morfov