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© Julia Lazarova
Tonight, the participants in Lukovmarsh refused to march through the streets of Sofia and made their way in groups from the National Palace of Culture, where they gathered, to the house of General Lukov on Trakia Street in Sofia.
The event, for which a notification was sent to the municipality of Sofia in November 2019, took place with an increased police presence. The municipality did not give permission for a torchlight procession, which is one of the traditions of the participants in the Lukov Marsh, nor was the route coordinated with it.
The municipality announced that Mayor Yordanka Fandakova had finished the event.
Two hours after the start time, participants held a vigil in front of Gen. Lukov’s house on Trakia Street near Dondukov Blvd. and wreaths were placed. Torches were also lit.
© Julia Lazarova
The prosecution lifted the police
Earlier today, the prosecution ordered the Interior Ministry and Mayor Yordanka Fandakova to ensure compliance with public order and anti-epidemic measures by the participants. The organizers of the march, the Bulgarian National Union, told Dnevnik earlier this week that they will ensure that restrictions imposed by the coronavirus are enforced. This means a distance between the participants of 1.5 m and, if less, with masks, although the event is outdoors. Read the details here.
© Julia Lazarova
The Lukovmarsh procession was started by the Bulgarian National Union, founded in 2001 by Boyan Rasate and currently led by Zvezdomir Andronov and Plamen Dimitrov. She is defined as a follower of the Union of Bulgarian National Legions (SBNL), led by General Hristo Lukov before World War II. He was Minister of War of the Kingdom of Bulgaria in the period 1935-1938. Due to his close ties with the totalitarian National Socialist regime of the Third Reich, as well as his work as a leader of National Socialism and fascism with strong historical and political influence. evaluations.
© Julia Lazarova
This afternoon there was a protest against Lukovmarsh entitled “No Nazis on our streets”, organized by “Antifa Bulgaria”.
Ministry of the Interior: The procession has stopped
Realization of the mourning procession in memory of Gen. Hristo Lukov has been fired, announced the Interior Ministry. The reason is that SDVR received a message from Mayor Yordanka Fandakova, according to which the route of the procession was not coordinated with the municipality, except for the placing of wreaths in front of General Lukov’s house at 1 Trakia Street. After the order was issued, the SDVR began dividing the participants into small groups, who would take the shortest route to reach the indicated end point, according to the press release.
The chancellery condemned the fact
In a statement, the Foreign Ministry expressed its support “for the municipality of Sofia and all other responsible institutions, which have once again banned and frustrated Lukovmarsh’s tenure.
This alarming display of anti-Semitism, xenophobia, hatred and intolerance has no place on the streets of Sofia, the diplomatic mission said in a statement.
On behalf of the government, the Foreign Ministry emphasizes that “Lukovmarsh” is “the antithesis of the steadfast and strongly expressed traditional tolerance of Bulgarian society.”
We will continue to strongly condemn and oppose any attempt by extremists to manipulate public opinion and incite hatred, taking advantage of the fear and insecurity caused by the pandemic, a statement that calls for more unity and tolerance.
The “Lukov Marsh” and events calling for hatred and glorifying the dark ideologies of the past have no place in modern Bulgarian society. The fight against anti-Semitism, intolerance and hate speech will continue until they are not mentioned, assures the Foreign Ministry.
