Heavy Police Presence and Checkpoints Ahead of Tonight’s Protest in Sofia

Checkpoints are being set up across central Sofia ahead of the evening protest, with the Sofia Directorate of the Interior preparing for a large turnout and the possibility of provocations. At a briefing, Chief Commissioner Lyubomir Nikolov said the police had received numerous signals suggesting attempts to stage hooliganism during the demonstration. For that reason, officers will screen individuals known from past protests for aggressive behavior, and anyone who raises concern at the checkpoints could be denied entry. Nikolov underscored that the authorities are counting not only on police deployment but also on ordinary citizens and the stewards hired by the organizers to alert officers at the first sign of planned illegal actions. He urged Sofia Municipality to intervene with an order to end the rally if tensions escalate, insisting that law enforcement has no issue with peaceful citizens, but those who attempt to damage property or attack officers will be removed once the municipality gives permission to stop the event.

Meanwhile, the political leadership of opposition parties “Democratic Bulgaria” (DB) and “We Continue the Change” (WCC) raised concerns about the scale of the Interior Ministry’s preparations. In a video posted by MP Ivo Mirchev, it was claimed that the police chief in Kyustendil had contacted a protest coordinator seeking a list of people traveling to Sofia, which Mirchev said citizens should refuse to provide. MP Bozhidar Bozhanov added that there were warnings of possible mobile signal disruptions similar to previous protests. Mirchev later shared further claims that the Interior Ministry had entered a phase of heightened readiness overnight. According to him, the Specialized Counterterrorism Unit had been placed on alert, leaves across the ministry had been suspended, and police reinforcements from Plovdiv, Blagoevgrad, Vratsa and Pazardzhik had been called into the capital. He said a water cannon had also been prepared following internal discussions on how to end the protest if forceful action became necessary. The evening demonstration, organized by WCC–DB against the 2026 draft budget, is scheduled for 6 p.m. in front of the former Party House, with similar rallies planned in Varna, Burgas, Plovdiv, Veliko Tarnovo, Stara Zagora, Blagoevgrad, Pleven, Dobrich, Sliven, Lovech, Nova Zagora and Gotse Delchev. Organizers and supporters intend to continue pressing for the withdrawal of the proposed budget.

Local authorities have also adjusted plans around the city. The mayor of Sofia’s Mladost district, Ivaylo Kukurin, confirmed that the neighborhood will hold its Christmas tree lighting ceremony at 4:30 p.m., timing it so residents who wish to attend the protest can do so afterwards. Separately, the civil association BOEC issued its own warning, alleging that the Interior Ministry was preparing coordinated provocations for the December 1 demonstration. According to the group, teams involving plainclothes officers from GDBOP and the Specialized Police Forces, along with criminal elements from Sofia and Pernik, were being readied for acts such as setting cars on fire near the former Party House or provoking fights within the crowd and against WCC–DB politicians. BOEC claimed these “cells” would consist of three people under the direction of a plainclothes Ministry of Interior officer. The organization urged protesters to stay vigilant, move in groups, record suspicious individuals and isolate possible provocateurs. They warned that such actors often attempt to involve demonstrators in activities that could compromise the rally.

The Sofia Police Directorate responded with its own message, calling for a strictly peaceful protest and reminding the public that there were already online calls for disorder. The Directorate confirmed the checkpoints would be in place from the start of the event, and that anyone identified as having a history of violent conduct at previous rallies would undergo additional checks. Organizers and stewards were again encouraged to immediately report questionable behavior. Police officials reiterated that, should tensions rise, the municipality would be notified and could issue an order to stop the protest. The goal, they said, is to ensure safety rather than obstruct peaceful assembly.

In a separate development, two major organizations - the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB) and the Confederation of Employers and Industrialists in Bulgaria (KRIB) - announced that they would not take part in the December 1 demonstration. CITUB president Plamen Dimitrov and KRIB deputy chair Boyan Nikolayev told bTV that the protest had taken on a political character. Dimitrov said that, despite disagreements with the government over income levels and living costs, the country still needs to adopt a budget before Christmas and identify realistic solutions to the challenges it faces. He added that the groups attending the rally have differing demands: some seek higher incomes and compensation for rising food prices, others oppose the proposed dividend tax, while another portion rejects the government outright. Nikolayev commented that the budget deficit must be addressed and said he remained cautiously optimistic. He criticized plans to expand public-sector employment at a time when the country is struggling with demographic decline.