Varna Remains Bulgaria's 'Protest Capital'

The largest-scale protest rallies of Bulgarians against monopolies, poverty and the political rule of the country have been staged in the Black Sea city of Varna. Photo by BGNES

Residents of Bulgaria's Black Sea city of Varna have staged once again a huge protest rally against monopolies and with demands for the resignation of Mayor, Kiril Yordanov.

According to the local correspondent of the BGNES news agency, anywhere between 50 000 and 70 000 have taken to the streets Sunday.

The demonstrators declared they were starting officially a civil unrest movement and no Varna resident will pay his or her electric bill.

The procession, led by 50 rockers, went to the monument of national hero, Vasil Levski, to lay flowers in his honor and in honor of the country's Liberation Day, which marks Bulgaria's independence from the 5-centuries rule of the Ottoman Empire.

The rally is peaceful, and there are no reported incidents or clashes.

It emerged earlier that the center-right Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria party, GERB, has withdrawn its endorsement for the embattled Varna Mayor, which is expected to lead to his resignation.

The protest rallies of Bulgarians against the political model, unbearable utility bills, monopolies, and wide-spread poverty have been shaking the country for weeks now. The two-week long protests led to the resignation of Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov's GERB Cabinet on February 21.

The largest ones were staged in Varna.

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