Oborishte Mayor: Power Outage and Destruction During Protests Seem Preplanned

Georgi Kuzmov, mayor of Sofia’s Oborishte district, commented on the aftermath of last night’s protests, noting that the streets have largely been cleared and most of the waste containers returned to their places, though a few smaller streets around Dondukov Boulevard may still have uncollected bins.

He highlighted the extensive damage caused during the unrest, particularly at the GERB party office, which was destroyed, and noted that many street pegs were pulled out across the area. Kuzmov expressed surprise at the police presence, pointing out that while law enforcement was stationed in large numbers near the DPS-New Beginning headquarters, no officers were visible at the nearby GERB office, despite calls from bystanders to intervene and stop the destruction.

The mayor also drew attention to the electricity outage in central Oborishte, which coincided with the outbreak of violence. Kuzmov mentioned that the local electricity provider, Electrohold, suspects intentional interference in the blackout, which occurred simultaneously with the escalation.

Kuzmov criticized the actions of hooded youths who vandalized property, calling the destruction unacceptable and emphasizing that the events appeared to have been premeditated. He also questioned why the boulevard near the clashes had been blocked, suggesting it contributed to the scale of the unrest.

Overall, Kuzmov portrayed the events as a coordinated escalation, with both the destruction and the power outage occurring in a manner that suggested prior planning rather than spontaneous violence.