04:44A march under the slogan 'Give Peace a Chance' was held in Sofia on Monday, organised by the nationalist political party Vazrazhdane ('Revival'). The demonstration comes ahead of the country's parliamentary elections on Sunday, with the party calling for an end to conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
Footage shows large crowds marching through the city, waving flags and holding banners reading: 'No to Israeli occupation and apartheid,' 'Peace is our strength,' and 'United for peace,' among others.
"No country has the right to kill its own citizens. In Ukraine, there is a regime that is killing its citizens," claimed Kostadin Kostadinov, the party leader. "He (President Zelensky) waged war against the church and against his religion. Do you think this should be encouraged or should it be penalised?" he added.
Ukraine accuses the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of links to Russia - which it strongly rejects- and has initiated a move to hand control of churches and cathedrals to the newly-formed 'Orthodox Church of Ukraine', which has seen a huge backlash in the country.
"There are [other Bulgarian] parties that, after entering the parliament go and negotiate in the American embassy. In fact, they are not negotiating, they are doing what they were told by the American embassy," Kostadinov claimed, noting that 'with such allies', Bulgaria did not need enemies.
"There is a recipe for peace, it is to love each other, not to hate each other," added one protester.
The march also saw participation from representatives of various Arab countries, with demonstrators waving Lebanese and Palestinian flags to express solidarity with the Palestinian and Lebanese people. The procession began at the National Palace of Culture, moving through central Sofia before concluding at the Monument to the Unknown Warrior, where participants knelt in remembrance of the victims of the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.
'Give peace a chance' - March by Vazrazhdane party calls for end to conflict in Ukraine, Middle East ahead of elections
A march under the slogan 'Give Peace a Chance' was held in Sofia on Monday, organised by the nationalist political party Vazrazhdane ('Revival'). The demonstration comes ahead of the country's parliamentary elections on Sunday, with the party calling for an end to conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
Footage shows large crowds marching through the city, waving flags and holding banners reading: 'No to Israeli occupation and apartheid,' 'Peace is our strength,' and 'United for peace,' among others.
"No country has the right to kill its own citizens. In Ukraine, there is a regime that is killing its citizens," claimed Kostadin Kostadinov, the party leader. "He (President Zelensky) waged war against the church and against his religion. Do you think this should be encouraged or should it be penalised?" he added.
Ukraine accuses the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of links to Russia - which it strongly rejects- and has initiated a move to hand control of churches and cathedrals to the newly-formed 'Orthodox Church of Ukraine', which has seen a huge backlash in the country.
"There are [other Bulgarian] parties that, after entering the parliament go and negotiate in the American embassy. In fact, they are not negotiating, they are doing what they were told by the American embassy," Kostadinov claimed, noting that 'with such allies', Bulgaria did not need enemies.
"There is a recipe for peace, it is to love each other, not to hate each other," added one protester.
The march also saw participation from representatives of various Arab countries, with demonstrators waving Lebanese and Palestinian flags to express solidarity with the Palestinian and Lebanese people. The procession began at the National Palace of Culture, moving through central Sofia before concluding at the Monument to the Unknown Warrior, where participants knelt in remembrance of the victims of the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.
A march under the slogan 'Give Peace a Chance' was held in Sofia on Monday, organised by the nationalist political party Vazrazhdane ('Revival'). The demonstration comes ahead of the country's parliamentary elections on Sunday, with the party calling for an end to conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
Footage shows large crowds marching through the city, waving flags and holding banners reading: 'No to Israeli occupation and apartheid,' 'Peace is our strength,' and 'United for peace,' among others.
"No country has the right to kill its own citizens. In Ukraine, there is a regime that is killing its citizens," claimed Kostadin Kostadinov, the party leader. "He (President Zelensky) waged war against the church and against his religion. Do you think this should be encouraged or should it be penalised?" he added.
Ukraine accuses the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of links to Russia - which it strongly rejects- and has initiated a move to hand control of churches and cathedrals to the newly-formed 'Orthodox Church of Ukraine', which has seen a huge backlash in the country.
"There are [other Bulgarian] parties that, after entering the parliament go and negotiate in the American embassy. In fact, they are not negotiating, they are doing what they were told by the American embassy," Kostadinov claimed, noting that 'with such allies', Bulgaria did not need enemies.
"There is a recipe for peace, it is to love each other, not to hate each other," added one protester.
The march also saw participation from representatives of various Arab countries, with demonstrators waving Lebanese and Palestinian flags to express solidarity with the Palestinian and Lebanese people. The procession began at the National Palace of Culture, moving through central Sofia before concluding at the Monument to the Unknown Warrior, where participants knelt in remembrance of the victims of the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.