site.btaUPDATED Authorities Seal Off MRF - Central Council HQ in Sofia

Employees of the regional government sealed off Monday the headquarters of the MRF - Central Council at 45A Alexander Stamboliiski Blvd. This happened after they entered the building earlier in the day.

Lyubomir Borisov, a representative of the regional government, told journalists that he was carrying out the order of the regional governor.

“On Friday, we were at the governor's office, and we thought the issue was settled,” DRF deputy floor leader Dzheyhan Ibryamov told journalists. “We asked in good faith that state institutions should not be, as we put it, a mother for some and a stepmother for others. We are a political organization, we need a building,” Ibriamov added. He explained that the headquarters houses an archive, working premises, reception halls, an MEP’s office, as well as the offices of the DRF’s youth organisation and two foundations.

“Our request to the governor is to give us a few days to remove all the property packed in boxes. Unfortunately, we are witnessing yet another state institution being used to repress the Movement for Rights and Freedoms and the DRF as a parliamentary group,” the lawmaker also said.

The MP confirmed that he’d had a conversation with Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov on the case, and that he has been trying to contact Zhelyazkov again.

Ibryamov expressed hope the formation will be allowed to keep the building. “We wrote to the Council of Ministers saying that this building historically belongs to the Movement for Rights and Freedoms," he said, adding that his formation will seek their rights before the European Court of Justice.

Asked if the seizure of the building was linked to the withdrawal of support for the government, Ibryamov said, "I leave it to you and to Bulgarian society to decide whether there is such a correlation."