Bulgarian Govt Exposed in Organizing Counter-Rally in Sofia

Bulgaria's ruling Socialist-led coalition has been exposed in organizing dozens of chartered buses carrying people from all over the country to Sofia on Friday.

Over 40 chartered buses arrived in the capital early on Friday, carrying 4000 to 5000 government supporters. The move resulted in tensions, as anti-government protesters from Sofia also gathered in the city's center to rally against a controversial budget revision.

News website Dnevnik has now cited its own sources as revealing that the chartered buses were organized by the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) and the predominantly ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS).

BSP's supporters arrived mainly from the cities of Plovdiv, Montana, Pernik, Kyustendil, Blagoevgrad and Lovech. DPS "secured" some 2000 people, mainly from the town of Kardzhali, Dnevnik says.

"I don't know," a young counter-protester told a local TV channel upon asked why he arrived in Sofia.

"Are we backing the government or protesting against it?" another counter-demonstrator was heard asking somebody on the phone.

Police prevented clashes between government supporters and anti-government protesters.

Bulgaria’s parliament overturned on Friday the presidential veto on the budget revision after securing the votes of 130 MPs.

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