Panayotov v. Canada ( Minister of Citizenship and Immigration )
A-1545-92
MacKay J.
5/10/95
8 pp.
Application for judicial review of CRDD decision applicants not Convention refugees-Applicants, diplomatic representative of Bulgaria in Canada and wife, seeking refugee status in Canada following termination of applicant's employment in 1991-Applicant member of Communist party of Bulgaria until 1990-Democratization process initiated in 1989 in Bulgaria-Multi-party elections held in 1990-In 1992, new democratic government intending to begin state trials for treason against some former Communist Party members-Applicant claiming would face persecution if returned to Bulgaria-Former members of Communist government of Bulgaria not qualifying as social group within meaning of Convention refugee-Furthermore, democratization process and independent judiciary raise assumption laws and practices of regime not persecu-tory-CRDD did not err in assessment of changes in Bulgaria and in concluding changes removed any objective basis for husband's claimed fear as related to Convention reasons-Application dismissed.