Council of Ministers urged investigative authorities to react to statements by "Vazrazhdane" party

The government called on the investigative authorities to react to the statements and actions of "Vazrazhdane" that call for violence, including against political figures. Prime Minister, Nikolai Denkov, demanded a reaction from the parties, the President and from the leader of "Varazhdane” party, Kostadin Kostadinov. At a briefing earlier on June 27, Kostadinov said that the government has declared war on his party, and that Vazrazhdane will not give in to provocations.

Later, the Sofia City Prosecutor's Office initiated a check and assigned the State Agency for National Security and the Chief Directorate for Combating Organised Crime to conduct an investigation to find out whether an MP had committed a crime against citizens' rights.

Prime Minister Denkov began his statement about "Vazrazhdane" with a quote from prof. Georgi Fotev. "A neo-Fascist party is raging in the Bulgarian Parliament. It is also marching in the national media. It has declared a war on the European values, which are also fundamental Bulgarian values. Bulgaria will lose the battle for its European identity without the loyal and brave European stance of the news media."

According to Denkov, the actions of “Vazrazhdane”, which incite violence and hatred, began two years ago. Denkov called on institutions, political parties and the President to take a stance.

"Do they think it is normal that in recent months and weeks, “Vazrazhdane” have been calling, with increasing frequency, for violence, including violence against political figures and persons in the National Assembly," Denkov said.

The Minister of Interior said he had issued strict orders to the regional directorates of the Ministry of Interior in the country.

"They are to be particularly careful and to intervene adequately when there are serious manifestations of provocations to riots, uprisings, tensions and violence," said Kalin Stoyanov, Minister of Interior.

"I call on the Bulgarian investigative authorities to initiate the relevant checks, to launch the relevant investigations," said Atanas Slavov, Minister of Justice.

Kostadin Kostadinov, the leader of "Vazrazhdane” party, in turn accused the government of neo-fascism for trying, in his words, to ban "Vazrazhdane".

"Today we witnessed something unprecedented, which is happening for the first time in recent history - the Bulgarian government or the one that was appointed by the American ambassador, declared war on a Bulgarian political party," Kostadin Kostadinov said.

Kostadinov reminded that he does not recognise the government with the mandate of “We Continue the Change- Democratic Bulgaria”. And addressed the cabinet:

"Let's meet in the field of Bulgarian justice, let's talk about who wants to ban whom, let's talk about who wants to repress whom, let's talk about who goes to what embassies, let's talk about who reports to foreign ambassadors and who draws dividing lines in our society, let's talk about who wants to take our country to war," Kostadinov said.

Bulgarian Socialist Party leader, Kornelia Ninova, commented that "Vazrazhdane" had manifestations of extremism.

“Of fascist leanings, they have it. But yes, "Vazrazhdane" have manifestations of extreme extremism recently," commented Kornelia Ninova.

Other parliamentary parties and the presidential institution did not respond to PM Denkov's call.

On June 27, 2023, the Prosecutor's office self-initiated a probe into possible offence by a member of the 49th National Assembly, who may have committed a crime against the rights of citizens by advocating or inciting discrimination, violence or hatred based on race, nationality or ethnicity, through speech, print or other mass media.

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