Bulgarian president urges PM and government to resign

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Bulgaria’s president is calling on the center-right government to step down and the chief prosecutor to resign as the only way to ease the growing political tensions that have sparked mass protests across the country. President Ruman Radev said Saturday in a nationally televised address that “Bulgarians of different ages and political affiliations are demanding the restoration of the rule of law and basic civil freedoms that have been methodically violated.” Radev is a vocal critic of Prime Minister Boyko Borissov’s government, accusing it of corruption, lack of justice and suppression of the freedom of speech. Thousands have protested in  Sofia to demand the resignation of Borissov and chief prosecutor Ivan Gechev.