Sofia National Theatre folk dance halted following protests

A dispute over unauthorized folk dancing in front of the Ivan Vazov National Theatre in Sofia led to protests and the cancellation of a scheduled dance event. Volunteers led by Manol Glishev blocked the gathering, citing a lack of municipal permission and the disruption of theatrical performances.

The organizers of the dance, identified as the successor to the socialist Fatherland Front, have faced legal scrutiny from the Sofia Municipality. Deputy Mayor Irina Dakova described the event as a provocation, noting that the city has issued multiple administrative sanctions against the organizers.

While the dancers expressed a willingness to cooperate through formal memorandums and volume reductions, representatives from the theatre and actors have maintained that high noise levels interfere with professional work. The Union of Bulgarian Actors has also voiced concerns regarding the impact of the noise on indoor performances.