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Todor Zhivkov, former communist leader of Burgaria. Image Credit: Gulf News archives

1998 - Bulgaria’s Todor Zhivkov, Eastern Europe’s last surviving strongman, died at the age of 86, marking the end of the Communist era in the Balkan state. “Zhivkov has died,” a doctor in the government hospital in Sofia said. Besides being the Communist party leader in one of the darkest periods of Bulgarian history, he was also head of state for decades. Zhivkov was admitted to Sofia’s elite government hospital a month ago with viral infection and pneumonia. He had ruled Bulgaria from 1954 until he was ousted in a bloodless coup by fellow party members in 1989. He was released from house arrest in September 1997.

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