Bulgaria's self-styled "modern nationalists", the Bulgarian People's Union (BPU), defended on Sunday their proposal to set up voluntary teams for self-defence of the population under extreme circumstances, which could be used as the basis of a national guard.

Launched last month in the wake of Roma revolt in Sofia's Krasna Polyana district, it has been criticised as an attempt to set up organised vigilante groups.

It has been condemned by the mainstream political parties, President Georgi Parvanov and the civil society, but received unexpected support at a round table discussion organised by BPU from Konstantin Trenchev, the leader of Bulgaria's influential KNSB trade union.

The idea should be taken out of the realm of politics and the parliament should come up with a universal formula that would citizens to deal with "negative phenomena," he said.

The proposal has been on the receiving end of too much negative publicity, but KNSB has made a similar proposal three years ago, only for the resulting legislative bill to be buried by the Interior Ministry, Trenchev added.

At the same discussion, BPU leader Boyan Rasate has reaffirmed his party's commitment to the idea, while stepping up efforts to win wider civic support for the proposal.

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