Nationalist Ataka party's leader Volen Siderov and lawmaker Desislav Chukolov have been sentenced to two years of probation.

Siderov and Chukolov will have their salaries deduced by 25% for two years' time after pleading guilty. They will also have to meet a probation officer twice a week.

The Sofia City Court has convicted and sentenced the two in relation to an incident in front of an alcohol and cigarettes shop in October of last year.

It has been the third probation sentence handed to Siderov and the second handed to Chukolov in a week, the first court ruling having been announced last Monday.

Under the Bulgarian Criminal Code, hooliganism and infliction of minor bodily harm are punishable by up to five years and up to three years of imprisonment, respectively.

The probation sentences, however, are the result of a plea bargain.

Siderov pleaded guilty to a total of three charges earlier in March, but yet another court sitting is pending later this week on a fourth count.