Bulgarian College Students Declare Permanent Blockade

Bulgarian college students, outraged by the political stalemate, have been staging since Wednesday a blockade at the country' most prestigious school, the University of Sofia. Photo Konstantin Pavlov, Facebook

The college students' blockades in the Bulgarian capital Sofia will be permanent, organizers said.

Several students remained overnight in two lecture halls of two departments of Bulgaria's oldest and most prestigious school, the University of Sofia – the Department of Journalism and the Law Department.

The protesting students first occupied Wednesday the largest lecture hall, 272, of Sofia University "St Kliment Ohridski."

The blockade caused the cancellation of the lecture of the Constitutional Court Chairman Prof. Dimitar Tokushev. Witnesses say he nearly fled the scene.

The protesting young people, about 50-60, from all departments of the University, not just the Law School, have demanded Tokushev's resignation over the decision of the Constitutional Court in the case known as "Peevski."

The Constitutional Court stirred controversy earlier in October when it reinstated shady media mogul Delyan Peevski as lawmaker. The move triggered new clashes between police and demonstrators in Sofia. Peevski's appointment as Chair of the State Agency for National Security (DANS) on June 14 unleashed a series of protests which were not appeased by the prompt cancellation of the Parliament's decision. Although the scandalous appointment was cancelled, the protesters demanded the resignation of the government over a number of other controversial appointments and suspected ties with oligarchs.

On Thursday, they were joined by students from the Department of Mathematics and Informatics and the Department of Journalism and occupied several classrooms.

Six students spent the night in lecture hall 272 and two in lecture hall 13 of the Department of Journalism. Classes in both are cancelled.

Several popular Bulgarian journalists informed on Facebook they will attend the blockade Friday to support their young colleagues.

According to unofficial information, other Sofia colleges, including the University for National and World Economy and the Forestry University, are getting ready to join the protests.

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