Hundreds of people have already gathered in the center of the capital, in the so-called Triangle of Power, to protest for the preservation of the Bulgarian lev. Organizers from the "Vazrazhdane" party and non-governmental organizations announced that they aim to show public disagreement with the plan to replace the lev with the pan-European currency, as well as to hold a referendum on the topic. Similar demonstrations are taking place in other places in the country, reports the Bulgarian National Radio.
"The Bulgarian lev is not just a currency. It is a symbol of our sovereignty, our independence and the right to decide our own future. Despite the massive public discontent, the rulers continue to push through their plans to forcefully introduce the euro, without a referendum and without the consent of the Bulgarian people. This is what the people who are already gathering in the "Triangle of Power" in the capital say.
We recall that the protest is not under the umbrella of one or another political party. However, there are parties that support it. The largest of them is the "Vazrazhdane" party. Identical actions in different forms are being held in over a hundred places throughout the country. The organizers state that the purpose of the protest is to express public disagreement with the plans to introduce the euro. People in Bulgarian tricolors gather in front of the National Assembly, in the "Triangle of Power".
"I don't believe that Bulgaria will be better off by entering the Eurozone from everything I hear from analysts, economists, professors. I'm not an economist, I believe them and there are indeed quite disturbing things and this is just such a hasty entry.
I am for Bulgaria. I lived in Italy in 2001, in January, when they introduced the euro. Prices immediately, the next day, started to increase. Before that, we spent about 50, 60, 70 thousand Italian liras for food a month, which is 50-60 marks, and after they introduced it, 200-300 didn't help us. Everything went up. A lot of restaurants closed. I tell the rulers to leave the positions they hold, because we are already boiling over. There is no circus like "the euro is inevitable" to cover up their frauds", participants commented.
A procession is also planned in various parts of the capital. Traffic in the center of the capital has been stopped.