site.btaUPDATED Vazrazhdane Party Leads Anti-Euro Demonstration in Sofia

People gathered in the area between the National Assembly and the President’s Administration in downtown Sofia on Saturday to protest against Bulgaria’s planned accession to the eurozone. Chants of “We want our lev” and “No! to the euro” were heard. People carried Bulgarian flags and called for a referendum on the euro. Some carried signs which read: “Roaring out for the Bulgarian lev” and “Paws off the Bulgarian lev.” (The name of the national currency, “lev”, is associated with the Bulgarin word for lion.)

The protest was organized by the Civic Committee for the Protection of the Lev (CCPL). Members of the nationalist Vazrazhdane party were among the organizers and the participants.

CCPL’s Nedyalko Nedyalkov estimated the size of the crowd at “tens of thousands.” He said the protests will continue until the government resigns.

From the National Assembly, the demonstrators marched to Sofia City Hall and on to the landmark Eagles Bridge, where they blocked traffic briefly. Then, they proceeded to the European Commission’s Representation, which was guarded by a gendarmerie cordon, and walked back to the National Assembly.

Before the protest, Vazrazhdane leader Kostadin Kostadinov told the media that the event would show broad support for the party and its anti-euro campaign. “Members of the European Parliament from various countries are with us today. Members of Germany’s largest party, Alternative for Germany, are here too,” Kostadinov said. He also listed representatives of Lithuania, Romania, Czechia, Slovakia and Hungary. “One thing is clear and indisputable. The struggle of the Bulgarian people to preserve their financial independence reverberates across all European countries.”

Kostadinov described Bulgaria’s future entry to the eurozone as “annexation”, a “forcible act contrary to the Bulgarian Constitution.” He threatened that protesters will put up a tent camp in front of the President’s Administration, which will stay there until July 8.

Sofia Mayor Vasil Terziev said in a Facebook post that the building of a tent camp in downtown Sofia has not been coordinated with City Hall.

Saturday saw anti-euro rallies in other parts of Bulgaria as well.