Protesters in Bulgarian capital Sofia have been trying to break the Police cordon in front of the National Assembly building since the beginning of today’s antigovernment protest. Initially, demonstrators were throwing eggs and apples and trying to overturn vehicles of the National Gendarmerie forces, BNR reports.

Tension escalated since the beginning of the new session of this country’s National Assembly. Demonstrators used pepper spray several times. Police officers and journalists breathed in pepper spray, the correspondent of BNR reported. Several people were arrested. The Ministry of Interior has warned that if tension escalates further, they would not hesitate to use crowd-control devices and called on the protesters to distance themselves from the provocateurs.

It is reported that carriers from Gotse Delchev region are protesting at Kulata-Promachonas border crossing. They are dissatisfied with the closure of Ilinden-Exochi border checkpoint as a measure against the spread of Covid-19. Although Bulgaria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already announced that Ilinden-Exochi border crossing will open for cargo vehicles on September 7, the carriers are not sure whether Athens would keep its promise. They told BNR that they were ready for civil disobedience.

Meanwhile, citizens who are protesting against the cabinet and this country’s Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev blocked the area near Danube Bridge in Ruse. Traffic is heavy. The rally will continue until 8 pm tonight, protesters contend.

Holiday makers and locals from the region of Sinemorets, Southeast Bulgaria, dissatisfied with the government and the over-construction of the Bulgarian Black Sea coast have blocked the traffic via the bridge over Veleka River, flowing into the Black Sea, BNR reports.

02 September 2020 / 15:29