Today, the city of Sopot has become an arena for a protest organized by “Vazrazhdane“ against the visit of the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen. In front of the portal of the Vazov Machine-Building Plants, MPs from the political organization, sympathizers of “Vazrazhdane“, as well as citizens who do not want a foreign European presence in Bulgaria, gathered.
Kostadin Kostadinov said in video messages that the President of the EC “is not welcome in Bulgaria“ and stressed that she was not invited by the Bulgarian people, but by “her servants in the country - Rosen Zhelyazkov, Boyko Borisov and Delyan Peevski“. In his words, Ursula von der Leyen is “under investigation for corruption worth billions, surpassing even the Bulgarian corrupt elites“ and is “a symbol of the degradation of European civilization“.
Kostadinov pointed out that the very fact that until the last moment it was not clear exactly when the EC President would arrive shows the fear of the ruling party: “This is unprecedented. In visits of such rank, the information is usually known in advance. Now they are keeping it a secret because they are afraid of the reaction of the people and especially of the reaction of “Vazrazhdane“.“
During his address, the chairman of the political organization drew attention to the massive police presence in the area: “Sopot and Karlovo are teeming with police. There were patrols every ten kilometers along the road. At the stadium behind me, hundreds of police officers are standing ready to jump on the people.“ According to him, the law enforcement officers “justify the 50 percent increase in their salaries by standing up to Bulgarian citizens“.
In his address, Kostadin Kostadinov did not fail to criticize the Bulgarian political elite: “If we do not get rid of Ursula's sycophants - Borisov, Peevski, DPS, PP-DB, BSP, ITN and all the rest, the country will continue to be governed by foreign interests. These little Ursulas, these parasites, must be purged from the Republic's organism.“
Despite the bad weather in the morning, the protesters remained in place. “In the morning they stood under the pouring rain for an hour and a half, now the sun is baking them, but nothing can stop them. We are standing here to say clearly: Bulgaria is not for sale, Bulgaria is not surrendering, Bulgaria is glory!“, Kostadinov also stated.
Earlier, the chairman of the political organization defined the visit of the EC chairman as “Ursula's tour like a fairground bear in the military factory in Sopot“.
Hundreds of people took part in the protest, although the official media traditionally report a lower number. Kostadinov noted the fact that the presence of a large number of people is indicative of the determination of the citizens. This is another action by “Vazrazhdane“ against European institutions and our colonial power. Tensions escalated in front of VMZ - Sopot after a police car with its lights on tried to drive through the protesters and almost ran over Kostadinov's leg.