Sofia, Bulgaria: Another protest in Bulgaria’s capital Sofia chanted anti-NATO slogans like “Bulgaria is not NATO”, “NATO out”, and demanded the country’s neutrality in the Ukraine conflict. Ukraine has continuously requested weapons from Bulgaria as the state has a sophisticated amount of Soviet Era weapons.
More than 1000 Bulgarian nationalists gathered around the streets of Sofia, protesting against US military involvement in Bulgarian territories. The US military has a Bezmer Air Force Base in Yambol, Bulgaria, run by the United States of America in Bulgaria; it is located in the Yambol area, only 10 km away from Yambol and closer to Bolyarsko.
Several activists and Bulgarian residents raised their voices against North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) for provoking the Russia-Ukraine conflict and pressurizing other countries to aid Ukraine in continuing their battle against Russia.
Today, on April 28, 2023, the Russia-Ukraine conflict marks 429 days since February 22. Since then, Ukraine has been getting unlimited support for ammunition and weapons to continue the war, but any EU state has promoted no peace talks or a ceasefire.
The EU and the US also pressured Bulgaria to provide sophisticated weapons to Kyiv. Bulgaria has also offered numerous types of ammunition and small firearms to Ukraine but refused to send large weapons such as missile systems or tanks.
Dimitar Shivikov, a Bulgarian activist leading the protest, stated that everyone must fight daily to keep Bulgaria out of this conflict. If the country gets involved in the war, those killed will be Bulgarians, not Americans.
The primary objective of this protest is to eliminate the US influence in Bulgaria as the US is provoking the Russia-Ukraine conflict and involving EU states which can result in a direct confrontation with Russia.
Ivan Zlatev, another Bulgarian activist present during the protest, remarked that every Bulgarian need to stand against the war waging NATO. Several protestors also carried banners with ‘US Army out of Bulgaria’, ‘Out of Europe and anti-NATO slogans written on them.
Romiana Chenalova, a female Bulgarian activist present during the protest, remarked that NATO is the biggest threat to European states and national security. She said, “We are marching for peace; this is the only way to stop a war. But the way that will work is a referendum.