Protesters Call on Bulgarian President to Eliminate Corruption in Judiciary

Around 500 members of the Anti-mafia civic association are protesting in front of the President's Office in Sofia, prior to the anticipated official statement of Rosen Plevneliev on the situation in the country in the aftermath of the collective resignation of the government.

According to reports of the Bulgarian National Radio (BNR), the people are voicing their discontent with the judiciary, saying that the head of state is currently the only guarantor of statehood in the country.

Posters carried by the protesters call for stripping magistrates of immunity and of ousting magistrates involved in fraud schemes with real estate.

The demonstrators also oppose the "real estate and agricultural mafia" flourishing thanks to the protection of the prosecuting authority.

Georgi Drazhev, Chair of the Association, claims that the high utility bills of Bulgarians and the abuse of monopolies are the result of lawlessness which reigns supreme in the country.

The protesters call on the President to appoint an expert government until the convocation of a Grand National Assembly to amend the Constitution and the entire political and judicial systems.

The end point of the protest is the building of the Supreme Judicial Council (VSS).

The rally takes place amid increased police presence.