site.btaSofia Municipality Did Not Authorize Lukov March

The Sofia Municipality did not authorize Lukov March, a traditional torchlit procession, on February 14.

It marks the anniversary of General Hristo Lukov's assassination by two Communist militants in his home on February 14, 1943. Lukov was known for his close ties with the Third Reich.

On June 10, 2025, authorities received a request from the Edelweiss Bulgarian National Union to hold the procession on February 14, 2026. The proposed route started the National Palace , through central Sofia, to 1 Trakia St, where Lukov’s house is located.

By order of the Sofia Mayor, and following opinions from competent institutions, a ban to hold the march was issued.

The order was appealed before the Sofia City Administrative Court and was overturned.

By another order, the Mayor designated a new starting point at the intersection of Knyaz Alexander Dondukov Blvd. and Krakra St, and a considerably shorter route without blocking vehicle traffic.

Earlier in the day, the Foreign Ministry firmly opposed the planned holding of the so-called Lukov March in Sofia and called on the responsible institutions to take all legal actions to prevent it.

According to the Ministry, such events are incompatible with the values and traditions of Bulgarian society and Bulgaria will not have its territory used as a stage for an international display of extremism, intolerance, discrimination and hatred, the position further says. The Foreign Ministry added that such events are used to cast Bulgaria unjustly in a negative light and to overshadow its human rights achievements.