President Urges Protestors, Police to Keep Calm and Not Allow to Be Embroiled in Plot for Government's Survival

In an address to the nation on Thursday evening, President Rumen Radev called on the protestors and police to remain calm and make sure they are not embroiled in schemes for the survival of "a government marred by corruption and violence". The President made the statement a day after clashes between police and protestors tarnished close to
two months of peaceful protests against the government and the prosecutor general.

Radev argued that the protests are the only "possible and justified" action against the "capture of Bulgarian democracy" and said it is the duty of each Bulgarian citizen to say "No" to
 violence, repressions and lawlessness.

He reiterated his position that the government's immediate and unconditional resignation is the only solution to the crisis.

He summed up the clashes between protestors and police on Wednesday night as "provocations staged by the power-holders which prompted large-scale and disproportionate police violence against protestors and journalists".

Radev went on to slam the parliamentary majority for trying to make  machine voting meaningless through changes in the election law and pave the way to election violations.

He said that parliamentary support for the new constitution project of the ruling GERB party is being traded for beach concessions, promises of lucrative jobs and cash.

The "concessions" reference is apparently about Volya leader Vesselin Mareshki who, on the morning of September 2, said that his party was not going to support the ruling party's proposal for a new constitution and did the opposite later that day. Allegations are that he sold his support for a 20-year beach concession which went to one of his aides on the same day.

Radev called the proposed new constitution "ridiculous but convenient to the Establishment" and said there is an attempt "to push it through with the power of money and with the protection of the police shields".

The actions of the majority threaten public peace, worsen the crisis and turn Bulgaria into a hostage to their own political survival, said Radev.

Source: BTA