"The Union of the Repressed of the Communist Terror" in Plovdiv with chairman Atanas Uzunov invites Plovdiv citizens to commemorate the thousands of known and unknown victims who died in the fight against the terror of the totalitarian power on February 1, 2023, Wednesday, at 12.00 in front of the monument "The Witness" on Stefan Stambolov Square. The date 1 February was first celebrated in 2011, when it was established by a decision of the Council of Ministers as the official Day of Recognition and Tribute to the Victims of the Communist Regime. This was done at the suggestion of the Presidents of the Republic of Bulgaria Dr. Zhelyu Zhelev (1990-1997) and Petar Stoyanov (1997-2002), who adopted the idea from the political emigre, public figure and philanthropist Dimi Panitza.

It should be recalled that the monument "The Witness", the work of sculptor Georgi Ivanov (Georges Trak), was erected in 2005 under the mayor Dr. Ivan Chomakov. The idea of the 1st of February is related to the fact that on this date in 1945 the death sentences of the former regents, palace councillors, ministers and deputies of the 25th National Assembly, issued by the First and Second Supreme Courts of the so-called People's Court, organized by the new communist government under the dictation of Georgy Dimitrov from Moscow, were carried out.