Bulgaria's President Rosen Plevneliev stressed that it is crucial to ensure the civil, ethnic and religious peace in the country.

"We have been witnessing an escalation of ethnic tension over the past days. I cannot remain calm while religious temples are being desecrated", the head of state noted.

The President made the remarks after talks with the leader of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) Lyutvi Mestan. The meeting was part of the month of political consultations at the Presidency - a time for discussions between political party leaders and the head of state.

Plevneliev expressed his belief that aggression and hate speech, used even by political leaders, are among the reasons for ethnic confrontation in Bulgaria.

He urged the political leaders to offer a better example of respect towards those who are different in the country, avoiding in-fights against one another that are often being led at all costs.