In Asenovgrad there is a New Protest

A new protest is being prepared in Asenovgrad tonight. It was announced by the initiative committee on Thursday, Bgnes reported.

This evening, the folk singer Valya Balkanska is expected to join the monument of Tsar Ivan Asen II. The protest comes after measures have been taken in the city to reduce tensions between Bulgarians and Roma. On Thursday, local councilors visited Valeri Simeonov, Interior Minister Valentin Radev and Maya Manolova, the ombudsman.

City dissatisfaction broke out after an incident at the end of June, when a group of Roma battled with rowers, who were training at the "40 Springs" dam. There were injured on both sides. At the peak of tension, the city was literally placed under a police siege. Even then, Deputy Prime Minister Valeri Simeonov came to the town twice. Together with the Mayor of Asenovgrad Dr. Emil Karaivanov, emergency measures were announced to suppress ethnic tensions and to introduce order and law. The first of these was the investigation of illegal construction in the Roma Loznica neighborhood and removal of buildings. In two operations, the municipality has so far dismantled 26 buildings. Another measure was the opening of a permanent police reception point in the neighborhood. It was opened on Thursday in the presence of Valeriy Simeonov and Valentin Radev, who refused to cut the tape, said he was not happy and called on the population to reduce the criminal activities in order not to spend too much money in this direction.

Among the first and immediately fulfilled promises was the ban on swimming in the "40 springs" dam and ... in the urban fountain in the center of Asenovgrad. The paddlers' training has a police guard.

According to the initiative committee, headed informally by Yordan Todorov, father of two of the children who suffered in the beating, the measures are neither sufficient nor change the situation. People doubt that houses are actually demolished in the neighborhood. The registration of the population at the moment makes them think that the authorities simply legitimize the stay of those who have come in recent years. Attempts to relaunch the protests were made in the last two Sundays, but the attendance was very weak.

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