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

Resignations demanded after the football protests in Sofia

PM Nikolay Denkov
Photo: BGNES

Bulgaria's Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Stoyan Temelakiev has been fired, Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov announced earlier today. "Instead of a football celebration, we observed ugly scenes of violence. Mainly because of the management of the Bulgarian Football Union which has been led to decline. There are mistakes on the part of the Ministry of the Interior," Denkov said at a press briefing.


The Prime Minister announced that he would discuss the resignation of Interior Minister Kalin Stoyanov with Deputy Prime Minister Mariya Gabriel, because he made an inadequate assessment of the situation. Stoyanov's resignation was also requested by the co-chairman of the ruling coalition "We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria" (PP-DB) Kiril Petkov. 

The chairman of the MRF parliamentary group Delyan Peevski objected and announced that the interior minister was pressured during the local elections to work in favour of the PP-DB. 

GERB leader Boyko Borisov demanded the resignations of sports minister Dimitar Iliev and the chairman of the Bulgarian Football Union Borislav Mihailov. Acting chief prosecutor Borislav Sarafov ordered the prosecutor's office to conduct an inspection of the management of the Bulgarian Football Union because of media publications about financial crimes, including the "black lottery", reports BTA.

At the end of his press conference and the blocked work of the parliament, the prime minister said: "I will not give in to pressure. GERB and MRF, who are always together lately, as we see, have every right to overthrow the government. Let them do it"!

At a briefing, Minister of the Interior Kalin Stoyanov stated that the director of the Sofia metropolitan directorate of the interior had initiated an internal probe as a matter of urgency, to establish whether any police officers overstepped their powers during last night’s protest by football fans in Sofia. In his words, the adequate reaction by the police prevented more serious damage, or even casualties. 




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

For the first time since 1985 the demographic decline in Bulgaria has practically stopped

For the first time in 38 years the population of Bulgaria has practically stopped its downward trend. In 2023 the decline is by a mere 0.3%, or just 2,229 people, indicate data from the demographic development strategy for last year. At the end of..

published on 9/27/24 11:29 AM
Rumen Radev, briefing for Bulgarian media, New York, 26 September, 2024

President Rumen Radev meets with representatives of business companies in US

Bulgaria is growing more and more visible for businesses in the US, said Bulgaria’s President Rumen Radev at a briefing in New York after meeting with representatives of American companies. “Interacting with American companies and with..

published on 9/27/24 10:40 AM

38% of adults in Bulgaria will go to the polls in October election: Survey

If the election for parliament were to be held today, 7 political formations are certain to enter the National Assembly, indicates a poll by Trend agency, commissioned by 24 Chasa daily. GERB/SDS comes first with an approval rating of 24.8%...

published on 9/27/24 10:26 AM