Todor Zhivkov was a Bulgarian communist statesman, who served as the de facto leader of the People's Republic of Bulgaria from 1954 to 1989. He was the second longest-serving leader in the Eastern Bloc and the longest-serving non-royal ruler in Bulgarian history. He became first secretary of the Bulgarian Communist Party, later served as Prime Minister and Chairman of the State Council. His rule marked a period of unprecedented political and economic stability for Bulgaria. His rule remained unchallanged until the deterioration of East-West relations in the 1980s. He resigned on 10 November 1989 due to his refusal to recognise problems and deal with public protests. Within a year the People's Republic of Bulgaria formally ceased to exist. After his fall, Zhivkov was brought to five seperate trials, but died on the fifth of August 1998. Here you can see an interview of him a year before his death. He was asked different questions from viewers in Bulgaria. One of his answers was particularly interesting - he was asked if he was sorry for any of his actions during his rule and he answered that he wasn't and didn't experience any regret. He, however, stated that, like all human beings, he is imperfect and can make mistakes just like anyone else.