Far-right activists opposed to Bulgaria's entry into the eurozone threw a Molotov cocktail at the European Union (EU) office in Sofia today, AFP reported.
The protesters attempted to storm the building housing the official EU representation in Bulgaria, an act condemned by European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen.
A Molotov cocktail was then thrown, and the front door briefly caught fire.
The windows on the first floor were broken, and the building was splattered with red paint.
The far-right pro-Russian party "Vazrazhdane" organized a rally today, attended by 2.000 to 3.000 opponents of the introduction of the euro in this EU member state that wants to adopt the single currency.
Six people were arrested and ten police officers were slightly injured after the crowd was dispersed with tear gas.
Von der Leyen condemned the "scandalous scenes in Sofia where the European office was vandalized."
"In Europe, we exercise the right to peaceful protest. Violence and vandalism are never the solution," she wrote on the social network X.
The Bulgarian government also condemned the act, stating that attacks on institutions are unacceptable.
Bulgaria has been waiting for years to join the eurozone, while the government has recently stepped up efforts to meet the European Central Bank's requirements, hoping to adopt the euro in 2026.
Bulgaria's far-right is demanding a referendum on preserving the national currency, the lev, but parliament has refused to hold one. The Constitutional Court has upheld the parliament's decision.
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