[MSN] Two paintings stolen from Bulgaria's NDK

[MSN]

Two paintings stolen from Bulgaria's NDK
19:38 Mon 10 Mar 2008 - Petar Kostadinov

Two paintings, the work of a Bulgarian and Russian painters, were reported stolen on March 9 by National Palace of Culture (NDK). NDK is the venue of a exhibition dedicated to 130th anniversary of Bulgaria's liberation, which the country marks on March 3.

The two paintings depict scenes from the Russo-Turkish War in 1877/78, which led to the liberation of Bulgaria from Ottoman rule. The theft happened sometime between 4pm and 5 pm on March 9, police said.

The paintings were exhibited on the third floor of NDK and, according to NDK's head Hristo Droumev, four surveillance cameras were on at that moment. "They should have everything on record," Droumev told Bulgarian news agency Focus on March 10. He did not say whether the paintings were insured.

"The paintings that we exhibit come from various galleries, museums and private collection and we have taken no obligation in insuring them," he said. "It is not our duty."

According to him the paintings had a value only to Bulgarians and were very unlikely to fetch a good price abroad if smuggled outside the country.

"For me it is a disgrace. Because they are rather small, some drug addict could have decided to put them under his coat or he could be paid to do it by some private collector. I can not imagine that a Bulgarian will do such a thing. These paintings are a historical document for Bulgaria," he said.

The two paintings are "All quiet at the Shipka pass" (21x29cm) by Russian painter Vasily Vereshchagin and "Bulgaria's awakening" (51x39cm), done by Bulgarian Nikolai Pavlovich.

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