site.btaUPDATED Vazrazhdane Sympathizers Briefly Block Several Border Crossings

Supporters of the Vazrazhdane party blocked several border checkpoints on Saturday in protest at Thursday's Constitutional Court decision dismissing conclusively an initiative to hold a national referendum on keeping the lev as the country's only official currency until 2043. Around noon, protesters organized by Vazrazhdane blocked the approaches to Lesovo on the border with Turkiye, Yovkovo on the border with Romania and Kalotina on the border with Serbia.

BTA learned from Nikola Dimitrov, the party's coordinator for the southeastern Yambol Region, that some 300 people had gathered at Lesovo. He said: "The Constitutional Court stated it does not care about the will of the Bulgarian citizens and will do as it is bid. This outcome was only to be expected because the car of the American Ambassador could be seen in front of the Constitutional Court for a week [sic]." Dimitrov said Vazrazhdane decided to block Bulgaria's borders in three places because clearly, once again the decision was not made in Bulgaria.

The party's other grievances include migration, Bulgaria's energy sovereignty after coal mining is phased out, and projects for offshore wind parks in the Black Sea.

Vazrazhdane will block border crossings again on Sunday but Dimitrov declined to say where.

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In a press release from later on Saturday, regarding the unauthorized protests, the Interior Ministry urged every Bulgarian citizen to respect the Assemblies and Rallies Act. "Given the disruption of the usual working pace and order around the Lesovo, Kardam and Kalotina border crossings, the police maintain the right to take measures to discourage and prevent further such unlawful acts," the Interior Ministry said.

In a position to the media later in the day, Vazrazhdane responded to the Interior Ministry by saying that the Constitutional Court has trampled the Constitution, democracy and the right of 604,000 Bulgarian citizens to choose and vote. "We call on the Interior Ministry to comply with the laws in Bulgaria and with Bulgarian citizens, who Vazrazhdane protects. Following the violation of the law committed by the Constitutional Court and the National Assembly, every single state institution controlled by the power holders currently represents itself only, and not the Bulgarian people, and is in the hands of foreign agents. That applies full force to the Interior Ministry as well," the position reads.