Leading Bulgarian political forces condemn new act of vandalism against the EP and EC representation in Sofia

SOFIA/VARNA – Six people were detained during a protest by the party “Vazrazhdane” in defense of the Bulgarian national currency, which led to the vandalism of the House of Europe in Sofia, where the offices of the European Parliament and the European Commission are located.

This is the second such incident since 2023, where supporters of the party, which achieved second place in the elections for national representatives in October 2024, attack the representations of European institutions in the Bulgarian capital. This time the protest was in anticipation that Bulgaria will request an emergency report on the country’s readiness to join the eurozone in the coming days.

Protesters again threw red paint, firecrackers, and eggs at the building, and the front door was set on fire.

Police reported 10 injured officers. The Minister of Internal Affairs Daniel Mitov stated that this assault will not remain without consequences. He ordered urgent measures to identify and detain all responsible for the acts of vandalism. We categorically condemn the desecration of the EP and EC building in Bulgaria, stated the Council of Ministers on Facebook. “Attacks on institutions, whether national or European, are unacceptable and contrary to the principles of the rule of law. Especially from supporters of a party that has its representatives in the EP,” the government added.

Outrageous scenes in Sofia, where an act of vandalism was committed against our EU office, wrote in “Ex” the President of the EC Ursula von der Leyen. In Europe, we exercise the right to protest peacefully. Violence and vandalism are never the right answer, she added. It is unacceptable to desecrate the building of the European Commission – as if we are burning and destroying our own home, wrote on Facebook the Bulgarian Commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva.

The political forces in Bulgaria also rejected the acts of vandalism and violence and condemned the assault on the House of Europe in Sofia. The mayor of Sofia Vasil Terziev condemned the act and described it as a shame for the city and the state.

All other parties condemned us, but that doesn’t bother us, said a day later the leader of “Vazrazhdane” Kostadin Kostadinov in Varna, where he stated that the party is starting preparations for protests across the country demanding the preservation of the Bulgarian national currency. Kostadinov called for civil disobedience.

At the end of May 2023, the House of Europe in Sofia was smeared with red paint during a protest by the party “Vazrazhdane”, announced on social networks “against Brussels’ interference in our internal affairs”. The President of the EP Roberta Metsola then wrote on “Twitter” that the act was by those dissatisfied with the EU’s position in support of Ukraine. (February 22-23)