The leader of Bulgaria's far-right, nationalist Ataka party, Volen Siderov, graduated from college Monday.

Siderov took his State exam in Theology at the Shumen University. He arrived by car at 8:30 am, 30 minutes before the official start and sat at the far end bank in hall V-3 while his four bodyguards waited outside.

Siderov used the free minutes to chat with his fellow classmates and to pose for pictures.

The Ataka leader left around 11 am with a big smile and with the statement that he thought he did a great job on the exam, which had as topic "The Ascension of the Christ."

"I filled all four pages, the maximum I was given. It was an important topic. The Christian faith loses its essence without the Ascension," Siderov said, adding that there was a more important test awaiting everyone on July 5.

"This will be a test on "Bulgarism" otherwise we face a new Turkish yoke. We must resurrect the Bulgarian spirit on July 5. It will be difficult, but only rabbits are born the easy way," the leader said.

In 1987, Siderov started studying Bulgarian language and literature at Sofia University, but never completed his degree. He enrolled at the Shumen University in 2002, only to drop out after his first year. In 2007 he sat for the test again and reinstated his student rights. Siderov took the entire course of study in two years, on an individual education plan.

Associate Professor, Rumen Vatashki, who is a lecturer at the Shumen University and a high-ranking Ataka member, was included in the entrance exam committee at the time Siderov took it. Vatashki was also listed to be part of the State exam committee Monday, but told the media he has requested leave and would not be present at the exam and will not assess his boss' paper.

Vatashki is the leader of the Ataka ballot in Shumen for the upcoming parliamentary elections on July 5.

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