The radical anti-government protest scheduled to take place on Friday in Sofia, Bulgaria, has been  postponed for 15 January, when the parliamentary recess will be over.

The Facebook appeals for radicalization of the protest resulted in heavy police presence near the Parliament building, including officers of the security police, traffic police, Gendarmerie, and even counter-terrorism units. Two water cannons for dispersing the crowds were positioned in front of the Parliament building.

Despite the increased police presence, some 50 demonstrators gathered outside the Parliament building.

Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Yavor Nikiforov, IT teacher, clarified that the radical protest rally had been rescheduled for January 15 so as to coincide with the first workday of Parliament.

Nikiforov urged people to take a leave of absence on the day they intended to join the protest.

He expressed hope that Friday's protest would be a peaceful mass demonstration, adding that the large anti-government rally was to be held on 15 January.

"We wanted to jump over the enclosures around Parliament, but the police had taken measures," Nikiforov explained, as cited by the BGNES news agency.

A police cordon prevented an attempt to stage a road block at Tzar Osvoboditel Blvd.

Meanwhile, allegations started circulating in social media that the news about a radical protest on Friday had been distributed so as to trick Interior Minister Tsvetlin Yovchev into gathering an excessive number of police officers at the site.

The protests seeking the resignation of the Socialist-endorsed Cabinet of Prime Minister Plamen Oresharski started on June 14 in response to the scandalous appointment of media mogul Delyan Peevski as Chair of the State Agency for National Security (DANS).

The rallies continue, despite the fact that the number of protesters has decreased substantially.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!