Bulgarian students from the Musical Academy, the Arts Academy and the Theater and Film Academy (NATFIS) rallied in Sofia Monday against the cuts of the colleges’ funds.

The students, who gathered in the garden in front of the University of Sofia, were holding signs “Arts Will Save the World,” “How to Live without Music,” and “Mr. Fireman Please Come to Your Senses.” (Bulgaria’s Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, has graduated from the Police Academy with a fire safety engineering degree.)

The students say the Monday collection of signatures is just the first step and threaten more serious moves if their demands are not met. They explain the funds were not sufficient even before the latest cuts which will lead to layoffs of professors, less study time for students and fewer stipends and assistance.

Students performed songs and staged a collection of funds in broken sculptures,

The rally had been organized through Facebook and phone calls among the participants.

The students from the University of Sofia already held one protest rally in May.