Day 33 of anti-government protests: protesters block traffic on Dondukov boulevard

day anti government protests protesters block traffic dondukov boulevard

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23:51, 10.08.2020

Anti-government protests in Bulgaria entered their day 33 on August 10.

This evening, mothers of disabled children from "The System Kills Us" blocked Dondukov Blvd. in front of the Council of Ministers. The crossroads of Tsar Osvoboditel and near Orlov Most (Eagles’ Bridge) also remain blocked to traffic.

In the morning, as a sign of goodwill, the protesters freed up the blocked crossroads in front of Sofia University.

The main demands of the protesters remain unchanged – resignation of the government and the Chief Prosecutor; introduction of machine voting and overall reform in the judicial system.

After 21:00, the demonstrators marched to Orlov Modt (Eagles’ Bridge). Some of them later returned to the Trinagle of Power to keep the traffic blockade of dondukov bulevard.

"We have been in the squares for 33 days, not because it is easy, but because it is hardt", one of the organisers of the protest, lawyer Nikolai Hadzhigenov said paraphrasing the words of US President John F. Kennedy said in a speech dedicated to the landing on the moon.

"It's easy to lie down on the couches in the living rooms. It was high time we chose the hard way and say 'no' to the mafia, 'no' to corruption and say 'resignation,” he said.

Hadzhigenov warned that tomorrow there will be traffic blockade at Sofia University junction. We will close traffic at border checkpoints and motorways, he said. Today the mothers of disabled children closed traffic in Dondukov boulevard and it will remain closed, " he added.

"We will be here until the government falls. I hope this will happen tomorrow. We will not allow them to trample us anymore," said Prof. Velislav Minekov, another organiser of the protests.

"You woke up Bulgaria and the Bulgarians in the EU, the United States, Australia and New Zealand. The Lebanese government resigned on the second day of the protests. But in Bulgaria it does not step down" Arman Babikyan, the third organiser of the protests said. "Borissov (referring to the prime minister) is afraid of elections, because he is afraid that he will not be able to falsify the vote, because this time others will control the vote. Borissov, why don't you come here to the people. We will block mountain passes, motorways border crossings. crossroads, so that you do not block our lives," Babikyan added.

At 21:00 p.m., an elderly man angered protesters by saying into a microphone that he was not in favour of resignation of the government. The man was taken out of the protest.

Instead of throwing eggs, tomatoes, sunflower seeds, candies etc, as the protesters did before, this evening they put books in front of the Council of Ministers building, saying the aim was to “literate the cabinet”