Bulgarian Nationalists to Stage Anti-NATO Protest

Bulgaria's ultra-nationalist Ataka party is organizing an anti-NATO protest in Sofia on Friday, 11 AM.

The demonstration will be held at the square in front of the Presidency building, where President Rosen Plevneliev will be meeting with NATO's Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen.

Plevneliev will award Rasmussen with the Stara Planina Order.

"Our position has always been against Bulgaria's active participation in NATO. We believe this visit's motives are unclear, and seeks to bring us into an unnecessary conflict", Ataka MP Vencislav Lakov commented.

Rasmussen is visiting Bulgaria in connection to the country's 10th anniversary since joining NATO. He is meeting with PM Plamen Oresharski and President Rosen Plevneliev.

Thursday evening, another small anti-NATO protest was held in the center of Sofia, by a group of far-left youths.