Bulgaria’s embattled Socialists have confirmed the government will defy calls to resign, saying preserving peace is more important than ever.

Ruling Bulgarian Socialist Party held an emergency plenum Wednesday afternoon after 40 days of nightly anti-cabinet rallies came to a head last night.

Preserving peace is more important than ever - this will be the message of a declaration that the Socialists will send to all state institutions, they announced on Wednesday evening.

The up to now peaceful protests turned violent overnight, when police clashed with protesters during a prolonged blockade of parliament.

Different local media reported Wednesday that PM Plamen Oresharski has allegedly suggested to BSP leader Sergey Stanishev that it might be better for the PM to resign.

Other reports claim that important Socialist functionnaries are irked by Stanishev's will to cling to power, and his inability to form a popular cabinet.

The meeting was closed to journalists.

There is strong police presence in front of the BSP headquarters on 20, Positano Str. in central Sofia.

The series of anti-government protests in Bulgaria was triggered by the scandalous appointment of controversial media mogul Delyan Peevski as Chair of the State Agency for National Security (DANS).

Although the appointment was revoked, the people went on to demand that the cabinet of PM Plamen Oresharski resign collectively over its ties with oligarchs.

Tensions escalated on Tuesday evening when protesters blocked the doors of Bulgaria's parliament, trapping inside more than 100 politicians, journalists and staff.

Demonstrators clashed with riot police in Sofia, the capital, on the 40th day of anti-government rallies.

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