Protesters trap Bulgarian MPs in parliament
Bulgarian police have broken up a blockade of parliament and escorted out more than 100 MPs and ministers who had been trapped inside the building for more than eight hours by protesters.
Police in riot gear pushed away the protesters and formed a corridor to allow those trapped since Tuesday out of the building.
Protests against the left-leaning government have been going on for 40 days in Bulgaria’s capital Sofia, leading to an incident on Tuesday evening as several hundred demonstrators trapped 109 people – including three ministers, some 30 MPs and their staff – inside parliament.
Police had tried to escort the officials out by bus on Tuesday, but protesters blocked the vehicle, hurling stones at it. Seven protesters and two police officers were treated in hospital for head wounds.
The Socialist-backed government took office after early elections in May, following the resignation of the previous cabinet amid anti-austerity protests. The government commands only 120 seats in the 240-seat Parliament and has to rely on the support of a nationalist party.
The appointment of controversial media mogul Delyan Peevski as head of the national security agency sparked the current wave of protests. The appointment was immediately revoked, but demonstrators insist the government is corrupt and must resign.
Recent public opinion polls show they are supported by about two-thirds of Bulgaria’s 7.3 million people, who have the lowest incomes in the European Union.
President Rosen Plevneliev issued a statement calling on the protesters to keep the demonstrations “peaceful and civilised”.
“For the first time since the start of the protests we have now witnessed tension and attempts for provocation,” Mr Plevneliev said, urging the protesters to restrain from any acts which increased the tension and breach public order.
He also called on the police to help keep the protests peaceful.
