Tenth day of protests against the government

Tenth day of protests against the government. On July 18, people began to gather n front of the Presidency building at 19:00. Despite the rain and the bad weather, they came to the square again.

At the beginning, the protesters marked the 183th anniversary since birth of national hero Vassil Levski, known as the Apostle of Freedom. Then the national anthem of Bulgaria was played.

The protesters were again carrying dozens of flags and banners, chanting "resignation" and "mafia".

Here is what some of them told BNT reporters:

- We want to change the situation in the country. The whole mafia that is on the top should be swept.

- 10 days of protests, the government said it would not resign, will it complete the term in office?

- They have lost the game already, they just don't know it yet.

- Fairer governance. Laws are the same for everyone, not just for one. So it turns out that some get nothing, others steal through the power they have taken.

- It can't go on like this. Today is a bright holiday. In honour of this bright person, Vassil Levski, we must overthrow those who are the antithesis of the idea of a pure and holy republic.

There was an increased police presence in the area of the "Triangle of Power". The atmosphere as at 20:00 was calm.

The protest turned into a procession around 22:00 pm. The protesters walked to the National Assembly and then to Sofia University. The procession stopped in front of the monument to Vassil Levski, where the demonstrators respected a minute silence and bowed before the deeds of the Apostle of Freedom.

Then they sang the anthem. The Bulgarian flag was also placed in front of the monument.

The Ministry of Interior said there were no violations of public order today during the protests in Sofia. A young woman was detained for possession of a gas gun.

The police again reminded the participants in the protests to observe public order and not to succumb to provocations.

Anti-government protests were also held in other cities across the country, including Varna, Plovdiv and Rousse.

Residents of the town of Kresna (South-Western Bulgaria) and the region also joined the protest. They blocked traffic on E-75 road for several minutes but no queue of vehicles were formed. There were no clashes or escalation of tension. The protesters gathered in small groups and crossed the road several times.