He is a child of the transition period, a student with rebellious spirit. He was born in 1989 – a historic year for Bulgaria, as it marked the fall of communism. He is Ivailo Dinev and his name has been well recognizable in society in the last months of 2013. The reason is that Ivailo became the engine of the group of students who in October occupied one of the halls of the Sofia University to request the resignation of the government of PM Plamen Oresharski. Ivailo Dinev says there are two types of rebellion:

“One is rebellion against something that has already happened and I react. The other type is when you see a gap and want to create something new to fill it. The occupation was more of a reaction to what is happening in the country and we said, ‘Enough of that.’ Two years ago I decided to head the initiative for opening a nonstop working University Library. For several weeks I talked to management, persuading colleagues. The result was that the working hours of two libraries of the Sofia University in Students’ Town were extended to 24 and students were hired to work. This is an example of that other type of rebellion."

Ivailo admits that the students’ occupation has failed to achieve its main goal – the government’s resignation. “We could not do this alone. Various representatives of the society must unite to achieve this,” he says.

Occupation, however, managed to achieve long-term change for our country and it was creating a new type of culture among students as a community, Ivaylo says and adds:

"Since the protest of the students every political force now fears that there are people who can unite. And these are mainly young people who did not see much sense in voting some time ago. Studies in recent months showed that mostly young people support us. Young people showed the ruling political forces that there are reactions to their mistakes.”

Ivailo says things do not end with the occupation. A number of protests and various civic initiatives are yet to come. The group of the Early Rising Students may grow into another type of organization.

“I am not optimistic about the outcome of the next elections but still new elections must be held. A number of people who take part in the Bulgarian political life seem like amateurs. Now we are the engine of civic society. There are many talented young people but the point is that they must be kept in Bulgaria. Through the occupation and other idealistic actions of our group of young people, we give an example for other young that they should not give up the fight for something better.”

Ivailo Dinev studies Cultural Anthropology in the Sofia University again. She also writes poetry and short stories and has won several awards in literary competitions

"Man of speech cannot stay away from others. You have to feel their feelings. We are idealists as this is a vice of youth. We act according to instinct and believe in the impossible. It is better now to believe in the impossible, because with time people become more rational, more pragmatic. People who have been an example to me have always tried to be humane, to talk about humanism. Vaclav Havel is one of these people."

We asked Ivailo about his goals after graduating from the university:

"Before the occupation I just wanted to graduate and become a lecturer or do some anthropological research. I also want to tour the Balkans and talk to people, to explore past and present. Most likely this will be the next step for me. Many people, however, ask me: ‘Are you one of those students involved in politics?’ I answer that we are students and for us it is important to develop. Pointing out injustice is an obligation of the individual and the community as a whole. This is the power of the citizens and not the oligarchy.”

English: A Markov