Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Resignations demanded after the football protests in Sofia

PM Nikolay Denkov
Photo: BGNES

Bulgaria's Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Stoyan Temelakiev has been fired, Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov announced earlier today. "Instead of a football celebration, we observed ugly scenes of violence. Mainly because of the management of the Bulgarian Football Union which has been led to decline. There are mistakes on the part of the Ministry of the Interior," Denkov said at a press briefing.


The Prime Minister announced that he would discuss the resignation of Interior Minister Kalin Stoyanov with Deputy Prime Minister Mariya Gabriel, because he made an inadequate assessment of the situation. Stoyanov's resignation was also requested by the co-chairman of the ruling coalition "We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria" (PP-DB) Kiril Petkov. 

The chairman of the MRF parliamentary group Delyan Peevski objected and announced that the interior minister was pressured during the local elections to work in favour of the PP-DB. 

GERB leader Boyko Borisov demanded the resignations of sports minister Dimitar Iliev and the chairman of the Bulgarian Football Union Borislav Mihailov. Acting chief prosecutor Borislav Sarafov ordered the prosecutor's office to conduct an inspection of the management of the Bulgarian Football Union because of media publications about financial crimes, including the "black lottery", reports BTA.

At the end of his press conference and the blocked work of the parliament, the prime minister said: "I will not give in to pressure. GERB and MRF, who are always together lately, as we see, have every right to overthrow the government. Let them do it"!

At a briefing, Minister of the Interior Kalin Stoyanov stated that the director of the Sofia metropolitan directorate of the interior had initiated an internal probe as a matter of urgency, to establish whether any police officers overstepped their powers during last night’s protest by football fans in Sofia. In his words, the adequate reaction by the police prevented more serious damage, or even casualties. 




Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

It will be cloudy over the weekend, temperatures rise

On Saturday , the lowest temperatures will be between 7 and 12°C; in Sofia - around 8°. In the morning hours visibility will be reduced in the plains. Before noon, precipitation will temporarily stop. In the second half of the day,..

published on 11/7/25 7:50 PM

Bulgarian Parliament adopts the amendments regarding Lukoil's special manager

The National Assembly adopted today, at first and second reading, legislative amendments that expand the powers of the special manager of the Lukoil refinery. The texts were adopted with the votes of the parliamentary majority formations GERB-SDS,..

published on 11/7/25 6:25 PM

Sales of starter sets with Bulgarian euro coins begin on December 1

Sales of starter sets with euro coins with the Bulgarian national side will begin on December 1, 2025 , the BNB announced. They will be in circulation from January 1, 2026.  The BNB and Bulgarian Posts will sell starter sets only to individuals;..

published on 11/7/25 6:10 PM