Bulgarian nationalists protest over government plans to adopt euro currency
Thousands of Bulgarians have taken to the streets of the capital Sofia and other major cities to protest against government plans to adopt the euro and to demand a referendum on the new currency.
The protesters, led by civic groups and nationalist parties, sang patriotic songs and shouted slogans like 'Freedom for the Bulgarian lev' and 'The future belongs to sovereign states'.
The anti-euro rally came four days before the Balkan country is expected to receive the green light from Brussels to enter the eurozone.
Demonstrators in Sofia carried flags of the pro-Russian Vazrazhdane party and a huge banner that read 'The battle for the Bulgarian lev is the last battle for Bulgaria'.
An increased police presence kept the protest peaceful.
Bulgaria joined the European Union in 2007 and remains one of its poorest members, plagued by years of instability which has fuelled Euroscepticism among its 6.4 million citizens.
Disinformation campaigns from home and abroad have added fears of economic changes that could bring more poverty.
President Rumen Radev encouraged the anti-euro voices by proposing earlier this month a referendum on the currency, citing public concerns over inflation and purchasing power.
The proposal was turned down by the pro-European majority in parliament, which accused him of acting in favour of Moscow with his last-minute attempt to sabotage the euro adoption, which is aimed at deepening European integration amid growing geopolitical tensions.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
ITV News
31 minutes ago
- ITV News
Two Cambridge University colleges seek injunctions against pro-Palestine activists
Two university colleges are seeking High Court injunctions against pro-Palestine demonstrations, saying they are 'disruptive to students taking their exams.' On Friday, activists camped on Newton Lawn outside Trinity College in Cambridge, playing music and chanting, and later moved to a lawn outside St John's College, a lawyer for Cambridge University said. The protesters left after the High Court granted temporary injunctions on Sunday and Monday, meaning further protests could result in activists being found to be in contempt of court. At a hearing on Thursday, Kester Lees KC, for the colleges, asked for the injunctions to be made final and to last for 12 months, saying the protests are disruptive to students taking their exams. In written submissions, he said the university was 'concerned about the environment of fear and intimidation created by masked protesters', adding that 'some chanting was directly aimed at disrupting the examination season'. He also said the university does not wish to stop all protests and suggested a 'myriad' of other options, such as a march or online and writing campaigns. 'There is nothing that ties them to needing to be on the claimant's private land in order to form a protest. 'Even if they wanted to do an encampment protest, there is nothing to say they need to be on the lawn where the students are coming through during exam season," he added. In requesting the injunction, Mr Lees said damages would not be an appropriate remedy because 'any impact on a student's grade will be an indelible mark for the rest of their professional life'. Grant Kynaston, for the European Legal Support Centre (ELSC), which supports the legal rights of pro-Palestine activists, said the court action has been rushed and that more time should be given, during which further evidence could be provided. 'The claimant's application relies primarily on the fact that the noise of protesters may disrupt students preparing for examinations,' he said in written submissions. 'However, its evidence consists only of two brief noise complaints, one of which ceased at the claimant's request.' Mr Kynaston asked the court to discontinue the injunction, saying that if it were to be granted, it would be an 'exceptionally wide-ranging and uncalibrated interference' with the protesters' human rights. He also said there is a trend of higher education institutions relying on court injunctions as a first, rather than as a last resort, for enforcing against protests on their land. He added: 'This conduct, treating injunctive relief as the first, rather than the last, resort, is inconsistent with the high standard required of claimants seeking this form of newcomer relief, let alone with a rights-protective approach. 'The court should not endorse it.' Judge Andrew Twigger KC is expected to give judgment in two to three weeks, during which time the temporary injunctions will remain in place.
Rhyl Journal
2 hours ago
- Rhyl Journal
European Central Bank cuts interest rate as Trump tariffs threaten economy
The bank's rate-setting council cut interest rates by a quarter of a point on Thursday at the bank's skyscraper headquarters in Frankfurt. Analysts expected a cut, given the gloomier outlook for growth since Mr Trump announced a slew of new tariffs on April 2 and subsequently threatened to impose a crushing 50% tariff, or import tax, on European goods. The bigger question remains how far the bank will go at subsequent meetings. Bank president Christine Lagarde's remarks at a post-decision news conference will be scrutinised for hints about the bank's outlook. Much depends on whether trade tensions can be resolved through negotiations, the bank indicated. 'A further escalation of trade tensions over the coming months would result in growth and inflation being below the baseline projections,' the bank said in its accompanying monetary policy statement. 'By contrast, if trade tensions were resolved with a benign outcome, growth and, to a lesser extent, inflation would be higher.' While the trade war and the uncertainty that goes with it is holding back growth, the ECB said the economy should get additional stimulus from higher government spending on defence and infrastructure. European governments are stepping up plans for defence purchases to counter Russia and its invasion of Ukraine. The spending boosts arrive amid concern that the US is no longer a fully committed ally in support of Ukraine. US defence secretary Pete Hegseth did not attend a recent meeting of allied nations created to organise Ukraine's military aid. It was the first time the US was not present since the group was set up three years ago. Mr Hegseth's predecessor, Lloyd Austin, created the group after Russia launched all-out war on Ukraine in 2022. Given the different possible outcomes the bank said that it was 'not committing to a particular rate path' for future policy meetings. Thursday's decision took the bank's benchmark rate to 2%, down from a peak of 4% in 2023-24. The bank raised rates to suppress an outbreak of inflation in 2021 to 2023 that was triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and by the rebound from the pandemic. But as inflation fell, the bank shifted gears towards supporting growth by lowering rates. With inflation now down to 1.9%, below the bank's target of 2%, analysts say the bank has room to take rates even lower to support growth.
ITV News
2 hours ago
- ITV News
Reform infighting as chairman appears to call MPs' burqa ban question 'dumb'
Reform UK is being rocked by more infighting after the chairman said MP Sarah Pochin's first question at PMQs was "dumb" because it did not align with party policy. Parliament's newest MP, who recently won the Runcorn & Helsby by-election, urged the prime minister to "ban the burqa" in the interests of public safety. But the party has since made clear to other news outlets that there is no policy to ban the Islamic head covering, despite fellow MP Lee Anderson backing Pochin on social media. Anderson retweeted Pochin's post, writing "ban the burqa? Yes we should. No one should be allowed to hide their identity in public". But party chairman Zia Yusuf, who was hired to "professionalise" the party ahead of the next general election, hit out at his colleague's question. The businessman, who himself is Muslim, said the question had "nothing to do" with him, adding: "I do think it's dumb for a party to ask the PM if they would do something the party itself wouldn't do." Reform party sources have suggested that he was not calling the question "dumb," but have not yet explained exactly what he meant. Party Leader Nigel Farage, whose past party, Ukip, did call for a burqa ban under his leadership, did not say a burqa ban was a Reform policy, but did say the issue should be debated. Appearing on GB News after PMQs on Wednesday, the Clacton MP said: "I think people do feel uncomfortable, actually, around people whose faces are covered". "I don't think face coverings in public places makes sense – and I think we do deserve a debate about that, of which I see the burka as being a part." Pochin had asked the prime minister to follow the example of other European nations which have outlawed the burqa. France introduced a ban in 2010, and several others have since followed, including Denmark and Belgium. Keir Starmer appeared to rule out a ban when responding to Pochin in the Commons chamber, saying he's "not going to follow her down that line". And a Labour Party spokesperson said: "Nigel Farage could fit all of his MPs in the back of a cab, yet he can't stop them fighting among themselves." It is, of course, not the first instance of infighting to hit the new party. Great Yarmouth MP Rupert Lowe claims he was booted out for criticising Farage, but the party insisted the real reason was that he'd threatened chairman Yusuf with violence. The allegations against Lowe were reported to police, but officers said there was insufficient evidence to prosecute. ITV News has contacted Reform UK for a response.
