Photo: screenshot from video
The mayors of Delian Peevski from small municipalities in the Deliorman region are leading people in Shumen to show mass support for the protest in favor of the government, organized by the Bulgarian politician sanctioned for corruption by the US and the UK. The “spontaneous” protesters were in fact gathered by force, residents of the small Shumen municipalities of Nikola Kozlevo, Venets, Kaolinovo, and Varbitsa, governed by mayors from the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF)-New Beginning, told Za Istinata. For the protest under the slogan “No to hatred,” convened by Peevski on December 9 at 6 p.m., the mayors mobilized everyone dependent on the local authorities, complained municipal employees who wished to remain anonymous.
In Nikola Kozlevo, pressure to protest also came from the BSP
The administration in Nikola Kozlevo and all structures related to the municipal budget have been “harnessed” to participate in the protest in Shumen, said people from the small municipality. “Mayor Ismail Ibryam has given a verbal order for mass participation by everyone who receives money from the budget. He has harnessed officials, kindergartens, project employees, even community centers and the grandmothers from amateur groups,” residents of Kozlevo said indignantly.
People working in the village community center were threatened that if the mayor did not see them at the protest, he would stop their funding, said local residents who wished to remain anonymous. Municipal councilors confirmed that there is enormous pressure from the mayor on all structures. “Even kindergarten workers were forced to go to the protest with their families. People complain that they will be taken to Shumen by force, but they are afraid for their jobs and will go,” a local councilor told “Za Istinata”.
Kozlev Mayor Ismail Ibryam went so far with his “organization” that he tried to put pressure on his coalition partner, the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), according to unofficial sources in the local parliament. Ibryam was nominated and elected by a local DPS-BSP coalition, and now the BSP municipal councilors are part of the pro-mayor majority. That is why the mayor ordered the socialist councilors to also attend the protest in Shumen, which could cause a scandal in the local red headquarters.
The protest organization is just as “ironclad” in Peevski’s other municipalities, according to people from Kaolinovo, Varbitsa, and Venets. In Kaolinovo, Mayor Nida Ahmedov gathered the village mayors and tasked them with ensuring mass participation in the protest by everyone who depends on the municipal budget, according to people from the villages. “Ahmedov, who is deputy chairman of the DPS-New Start party, wants to prove himself to Peevski and demonstrate how powerful his party is in the Shumen region, which is why there is this pressure,” commented former party colleagues of the Kaolinovo mayor from the DPS.
Even in Shumen, where Peevski’s party does not have many voters, municipal employees were pressured to participate in the protest, according to municipal workers. “We received a call on behalf of Deputy Mayor for Finance Beynur Ahmed (who is the municipal chairman of the DPS-NN in Shumen) and were told that we had to bring people to the protest,” said an employee of a municipal enterprise.
“The government is not Peevski’s, but Peevski protects it. And you will see how all TV stations will cover this staged protest, but no one will say that the protesters are municipal employees,” people in Shumen are outraged.
We sent questions to the Shumen Municipality and to the mayors of Nikola Kozlevo, Venets, Kaolinovo, and Varbitsa about reports from citizens of pressure to participate in the protest. By the time this article was published, we had not received a response from any of the administrations.
Parallel civil protest in Shumen for the resignation of the government
In addition to the DPS-NN protest, which will begin at 6 p.m. in front of the Drama Theater in Shumen, a civil protest against the government is being organized at the same time in the neighborhood, in front of the municipality building. The protest calling for the resignation of the Zhelyazkov cabinet has been held for several evenings now, starting at the same time and in the same place, with citizens organizing themselves on social media.
When asked how they will maintain public order during the two parallel protests, the regional directorate of the Ministry of Interior in Shumen stated that they have taken measures against possible provocations and tensions. There will be enough police officers to guard both protests, the press center of the Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Interior stated.
The civil protest against the government, which has been taking place in recent days, is unauthorized, but so far there have been no problems with the protesters, according to the Shumen police. The Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Interior added that they are not restricting anyone from expressing their opinions and positions, and are guarding the civil marches every evening. “So far, we have not had any problems with the protesters. They are young, intelligent people who are protesting against the government in a peaceful manner. We hope that there will be no tension tonight either, even though the two protests will be in close proximity,” said the Shumen police press center. They called for tolerance and compliance with the law at the two parallel protests in Shumen.
BOEC warns of Peevski’s provocateurs
Delian Peevski is preparing “strike teams” that will attack his own protests, the civil movement BOEC said in a Facebook post. “BOEC sources in the General Directorate of National Police inform us that in the last few hours, the Ministry of Interior has received information about “strike teams” being prepared under Peevski’s control to attack his own protests. This time, they will not set fire to or attack buildings. The instructions are to attack the DPS “protesters” with racial and religious insults!” the organization warns.
“The aim is to provoke ethnic tension, serious clashes and calls for revenge, with the ‘protesters’ heading to Sofia to influence the big protest for the government’s resignation on Wednesday,” the civil movement explains.
According to BOEC, the organization is being carried out jointly with the regional directorates of the Ministry of Interior in Kyustendil, Kardzhali, Shumen, and Dobrich. “Police will provide a corridor for ‘Peevski’s thugs’ and time to carry out provocations and escalation before there is any intervention. The provocateurs are also guaranteed a safe withdrawal,” BOEC writes.
The Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Interior in Shumen declined to comment on BOEC’s publication.
