Crowds gather outside Parliament in support of deposed parliamentary Speaker Nikola Minchev and the government

Members of the public gathered in front of the Parliament in support of Nikola Minchev, who was today, June 16, removed from the post of Speaker of the National Assembly. The protest was organised on Facebook under the slogan: "Mafia removed Minchev: let's defend a European Bulgaria without mafia".

During the break given by the debate on the budget update, Prime Minister Kiril Petkov, Deputy Prime Ministers Assen Vassilev and Kornelia Ninova, as well as Nikola Minchev himself, came out to the protesters.

I have no words, I did not expect this to happen to me. I can only thank the new majority that this happened to me, Minchev said. We continue to fight and the fight will be successful - there is no doubt about that. Thank you!, he added.

This change will happen based on all of us. It will not be just us, just you, together we will do it, said Prime Minister Kiril Petkov.

He urged people not to be disappointed by the vote of no confidence:

We managed to win the elections, but we were dragged into backstage politics. Now this backstage will be cut! So - victory, we are together, do not give up, we will succeed, said PM Kiril Petkov.

We will not betray you, we will win, the Prime Minister is adamant.

A moment ago Mr Tsonev (of MRF) said that protests bring down governments but do not keep them. I think we can refute them. Faith, hope, certainty that we will win back support. We feel support - absolutely, Deputy Prime Minister Assen Vassilev said. We want a normal state - without lockers, gold bars, people from the Magnitsky list and without stealing money, Vassilev added.

We will come back again, stronger, we will not give up! We have not thought of it, said Nikola Minchev.

Today, the real battle with the mafia has begun. Thank you for organising so spontaneously today. Never give up - together we will succeed, said Deputy Prime Minister and Bulgarian Socialist Party leader Kornelia Ninova.

Toshko Yordanov, the chairman of the "There is Such a People" group (former collation partner), came out to the people, but was booed by the protesters who did not want to talk to him.

Outgoing Sports Minister Radostin Vassilev also spoke briefly with the protesters.

The protesters were also joined by MPs from the coalition partner of "We Continue the Change" - "Democratic Bulgaria”.

Protesters also gathered at the back entrance of Parliament. There, the leader of the "Vazrazhdane" party Kostadin Kostadinov came out together with his MPs and was booed with obscene exclamations. Members of the public started throwing black balls at him and chanting "This is not Moscow".

The situation necessitated the strengthening of police security due to the danger of escalating tensions.

Protesters said they would protest every day to prevent "the mafia from returning to power". They chanted slogans of "Support" and "Victory".

There are also ambulances outside the National Assembly.

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