Traffic ground to a halt around Sofia's Independence Square on Monday as protesters gathered for a rally called "Down with Yotova." Protesters want prime minister Rumen Radev and Iliana Yotova to resign, organiser Manol Glishev said.
Organisers called for the protest on social media, and crowds gathered in what's known as the triangle of power, the area between the National Assembly, the presidency and the Council of Ministers. Protesters chanted "Resign" and waved Bulgarian and Ukrainian flags alongside EU and NATO flags. Signs read "This is not Russia" and "Russia — Enemy No. 1 of Bulgarian statehood and the EU."
"Ever since Radev's people came to power, the same mistakes keep happening. Resignation is a good start, but it must be followed by a trial," Glishev told the crowd.
Sofia council said it received no notice of the protest. Police were on hand in the area.
A separate protest against the government, also calling for prime minister Rumen Radev to resign, was held on September 15. At the time, Glishev said: "The protests are only just beginning. Let's not forget we need to sweep Radev and Yotova out of power."