Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2024 All Rights Reserved

Police protest against politicization of clashes during protest by football fans

| updated on 11/22/23 5:14 PM
The police protest in front of parliament building
Photo: BGNES

Hundreds of police officers came out to protest, in their words spontaneously, in front of parliament building, demanding an end to the politicization of the events from 16 November, when football fans organized a protest against the Bulgarian Football Union management during the Bulgaria-Hungary football match.

What started as a peaceful protest quickly escalated, and in the clashes that ensued football fans and police were injured, and there were numerous arrests.

Pre-trial proceedings are underway against three police officers for excessive use of force. We Continue the Change/Democratic Bulgaria (PP/DB) demanded the resignation of Interior Minister Kalin Stoyanov.

PP/DB co-chair Kiril Petkov stated that Kalin Stoyanov was nominated to the post of interior minister by GERB. GERB leader Boyko Borissov responded by saying that if Stoyanov was to hand in his resignation, then prime minister Nikolai Denkov (from PP/DB) would have to resign also.

"We should not once again allow the Interior Ministry to be used as a boxing pear by politicians", Bulgaria’s Minister of Interior Kalin Stoyanov told journalists before his hearing in the National Assembly Committee on Internal Security and Public Order. Minister Stoyanov told the MPs that Sofia Mayor Vasil Terziev had coordinated the protest of the football fans, without requesting an opinion from the Sofia Metropolitan Directorate of Interior, as is the practice in such events. Kalin Stoyanov said that the leadership of the Interior Ministry had taken stronger security measures, because it was informed that some of the football fans intended to force their way into the National Stadium "Vasil Levski" and terminate the football match between Bulgaria and Hungary. "We categorically dissociate ourselves from violence against both protesting citizens and police officers", Minister Stoyanov noted.




Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Rositsa Stelyanova

Bulgarian Industrial Capital Association demands a 3% increase in vocational classes

In a letter to Minister of Education Galin Tsokov, the Bulgarian Industrial Capital Association expresses concern over the state plan for admissions for the 2025-2026 academic year, in which the number of vocational classes in schools are being..

published on 11/25/24 4:29 PM

Prosecutor’s office is investigating Romanian citizens for illegal migrant trafficking

The Sofia City Prosecutor’s Office has initiated pre-trial proceedings regarding an organized criminal group for the trafficking of migrants, the prosecutor’s office has announced. Evidence was collected during the investigation regarding 16..

published on 11/25/24 2:51 PM
Chief Inspector Zornitsa Shumanova (L)

Domestic violence figures have been growing steadily

The number of crimes committed in the conditions of domestic violence has gone up by 54% since the beginning of the year compared to last year, the Ministry of Interior announced on International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. A..

published on 11/25/24 2:36 PM