SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — The streets of Bulgaria’s capital were filled with tension on Saturday as nationalist protesters clashed with police, demanding the government to abandon its plans to integrate the country into the eurozone. Approximately 1,000 demonstrators gathered outside the Sofia office of the European Commission, the executive arm of the European Union, and tensions quickly escalated as red paint and firecrackers were hurled at the building, culminating in a door being set ablaze. In response to the escalating situation, firefighters and additional police forces were dispatched to the scene to contain the unrest. Police reported several arrests and injuries among officers during the confrontations.
The protest, organized by the pro-Russia nationalists of the Vazrazhdane party, commenced earlier in the day in front of the Bulgarian National Bank headquarters. Protesters, brandishing national and party flags, vociferously chanted slogans such as “No to the euro” and “Yes to the Bulgarian lev,” the country’s currency. Kostadin Kostadinov, the leader of Vazrazhdane, expressed his reason for participation to the press, emphasizing that the party’s aim was to defend the interests of Bulgaria and its people. He called for a referendum to determine the nation’s entry into the eurozone, threatening to obstruct the National Assembly’s operations if their demands were not met.
Bulgaria, an EU member since 2007, has faced a turbulent political landscape in recent years. The newly formed government has identified eurozone accession as a pivotal objective, despite skepticism from some economists who argue that the country’s economic status is not yet conducive to adopting the single currency. In contrast, the government and its supporters in parliament highlight the political significance of eurozone entry as a means to further European integration amidst escalating geopolitical tensions.
Evidently, pro-Russia nationalists are mobilizing to undermine the country’s pursuit of eurozone membership, utilizing disinformation campaigns as a potent tool to spread apprehension among the populace.
