More than 45 people have been injured in clashes between protesters and police in the Bulgarian capital, Sofia, on Wednesday.
The Bulgarian parliament, meanwhile, has begun an autumn session to discuss the government’s proposal for a new constitution.
Protests against the government have been going on in Sofia and other Bulgarian cities for almost two months now.
Protesters demand the resignation of Prime Minister Boyko Borisov’s ruling coalition.
The constitutional assembly is one of the main demands of the protesters, but they are also demanding the resignation of the country’s chief prosecutor, Ivan Geshev.
Protesters also accuse the government of dependence on so-called oligarchs and mafia-style behavior.
In an effort to appease protesters, Borisov has fired several ministers and recently proposed a new constitution, but protesters have rejected the prime minister’s steps.
Thousands of people protested in Sofia today all day, chanting “Get back!” and “Mafia!”.
Police used tear gas and noise grenades to disperse protesters who stoned the guards with stones, eggs and tomatoes.
Protesters tried to break the chain of police officers guarding parliament.
Hospital officials reported that more than 45 people were injured in the clashes, including at least 27 police officers and several journalists.
Several people were hospitalized with chemical burns and difficulty breathing.
The head of the Sofia police rejected allegations of excessive use of force against the protesters.
He found that more than 35 people had been detained, most of them with previous convictions.
An autumn session began in the Bulgarian parliament today to discuss the government’s proposal for a new constitution.
Borisov’s Conservative Citizens for the European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) today managed to gain the necessary support from more than 120 MEPs to move forward with a proposal for a new constitution, but it is unlikely to get the 160 votes it would need to move to the next stage. .
Bulgarian President Rumen Radev, who expressed support for the protesters’ demands, called on parliament to exit the crisis with dignity, paving the way for early elections.
“Confidence is definitely lost,” he added.
The Borisov coalition has been in power since 2017 and elections are not scheduled for March.
Analysts have rejected Borisov’s proposal for a new constitution as an attempt to gain time and retain power.
It has also been criticized by activists for failing to increase the chances of prosecuting the chief prosecutor and seeking to restrict the president’s rights.
Debates in parliament on a new constitution can take months.
– .
