Sofia, January 12 (BTA) - Hundreds of people filled the square in front of Parliament building in central Sofia Wednesday demanding full repeal of the COVID-19 green certificate. The protest was organized on Facebook by the smallest party in Parliament, Vazrazhdane, after the legislature voted rules requiring proof of vaccination, recovery, presence of antibodies or a negative COVID-19 test for entry in the National Assembly building.

The Parliament building was cordoned off by police and gendarmerie. Shortly after noon, tensions escalated as the protestors tore the police cordon and tried to storm the building.

The main entrance of the Parliament building was blocked from the inside with overturned tables. Vazrazhdane MPs, who were inside the building, insisted that protestors be allowed into the building or that the MPs themselves should exit the building through the main entrance and join the rally.

Protesters carried posters reading "I want a normal life" and "I am not an antivaxxer". There were also "Hands off our children!" posters, referring to the mandatory COVID-19 tests for students in school twice a week. Loud music was played.

The leader of the Sofia chapter of Vazrazhdane, Alexander Arangelov, told BTA that close to 40 buses of party supporters were expected from across Bulgaria.

The protest blocked traffic on several central boulevards in Sofia.

At least eight policemen were injured during the protest.

Vazrazhdane party leader Kostadin Kostadinov was expected to be a key figure during the rally but was quarantined the previous day as a contact person after the Parliament leader, Nikola Minchev, tested positive for COVID on Monday. Kostadinov and Minchev were among the participants in a meeting of the Consultative Council on National Security (CCNS) on Monday along with the Prime Minister, the President, government ministers, party leaders and security service chiefs.

That is why Kostadinov addressed protestors with a video message that was shown on a huge screen during the protest. In his message, he urged dialogue between the protestors and MPs.

A small group of protestors broke off from the main crowd and went to the Health Ministry and met with Health Minister Assena Serbezova. She told them, as quoted by her Ministry's press office, that she is against a vaccination mandate and also that she insisted that the green pass be called "vaccination certificate" because it offers people more options rather than just vaccination. Taking a question from a protestor, she said: "We are not dependent on political or pharmaceutical lobbies, or foreign governments."

In a comment on bTV, Prime Minister Kiril Petkov said that he respects the right to protest, having personally taken part in many protests. The protest, however, should come up with constructive measures and those must be discussed in dialogue, he added. "Dialogue can occur only when alternative measures and ideas are presented which are constructive and feasible, and which make sure that Bulgarians' health is protected and the health care system is not under too much pressure," said Petkov, who is also quarantined after attending the Consultative Council meeting on Monday.

He also said he was ready to meet with the protestors but when his quarantine expires.

Democratic Bulgaria (DB) MP Ivaylo Mirchev commented for journalists in the Parliament corridors that "this should not be happening in front of the Bulgarian Parliament building". He noted that everybody has the right to protest but such behaviour is discreditable and protests should be peaceful.

There Is Such People (TSP) MPs Andrei Chorbanov and Stanislav Balabanov said that their party is against the green certificate and finds it ineffective, but is not protesting because they are a loyal partner in the government coalition.

Iskren Mitev from Continue the Change (CC) noted that CC supports the right to protest, however, considering the spread of a new virus variant, people's health should be a priority. YV/LN/