Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

247 theatre organisations from 39 countries appeal to European Union institutions

MEPs discuss the nationalist violence in front of the Ivan Vazov National Theatre in Sofia

Nationalists barred audience from opening night of John Malkovich's production of Bernard Shaw's Arms and the Man

Photo: BGNES Archive

The clashes outside the Ivan Vazov National Theatre during the opening night of John Malkovich's production of Bernard Shaw's Arms and the Man have prompted 247 theatre organisations from 39 countries to appeal to the institutions of the European Union.
"At the National Theatre in Sofia, a more than 100-year-old play set in a fictional Bulgaria was performed without an audience on its premiere night because of attacks from ultra-nationalist circles who physically prevented the audience from entering the theatre building," the artists said in their letter to the European Parliament, stressing that attacks on artistic freedom have reached an almost absurd level in many member states.


The theatre organisations call on the European institutions to take note of the nationalist attacks against cultural institutions and the arts. 

They add that what is happening is part of an organised strategy to subordinate culture to conservative and nationalist politics, which could lead to the undermining of the Europeana 1989 project to promote Europe's cultural heritage.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Bulgaria gets second air ambulance

The second helicopter to provide emergency medical services by air landed in Bulgaria this afternoon, the Health Ministry said. It will be used at the HEMS regional base in the city of Sliven. The eight air medical teams that will work there have..

published on 2/28/25 6:25 PM
Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev and H.E. Susan Falatko.

FM Georgiev says US, Bulgaria will continue cooperation

Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev today received at the Foreign Ministry Susan Falatko, who arrived in Sofia a few days ago as Charge d'Affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Bulgaria.  A statement from the Foreign Ministry said that during the meeting, Minister..

published on 2/28/25 5:48 PM
Dimitar Manolov, head of Podkrepa Union

Podkrepa Trade Union to start meetings with parliamentary groups on 2025 state budget

Next week, the Podkrepa Trade Union will begin a series of meetings with parliamentary groups in the National Assembly on the 2025 state budget, BTA reported. During the talks, the unions will offer their views on the increase in salaries in the budget..

published on 2/28/25 4:34 PM