Representatives of the Left! Coalition and the Sofia chapter of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) met with the leadership of the interior Ministry on Tuesday. After the conversation Kostadin Paskalev of the Left! told journalists that they requested the meeting in connection with tensions expected to occur on Thursday when PFC Levski Sofia meets Eintracht Frankfurt FC in Europe Conference League.
On August 17, after a match between Levski Sofia and Hapoel Beer Sheva, four people were arrested for throwing smoke grenade and damaging the Monument to the Soviet Army in central Sofia.
"We were assured by the Interior Minister that two pretrial proceedings were opened in connection with the attack by BOEC against the four perpetrators," said Paskalev. "We asked to be informed of the measures that the Interior Ministry will take to secure the public order on Thursday. We hope that all of the commitments that were made will be implemented," he added.
Paskalev said that three large events are scheduled for Thursday, but participants won’t be allowed near the monument.
Rise Up BG leader Maya Manolova said that the perpetrators in question are not the only ones who are guilty about the acts of vandalism on August 17. According to her, right-wing parties in Sofia continue to incite football fans to take part in the attack on the monument.
BSP Sofia leader Ivan Takov said that the monument has been vandalized multiple times through the years, but nobody has been punished.
Manolova said that the tent camp, set up by the Left! on August 9, will remain there until there is no longer a danger to the monument.
/MR/
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