Roads around Parliment building in Sofia shut due to protests

A protest rally organised by students, environmentalists and farmers began outside the Parliament building in Sofia at 1500 local time (1300 UTC) on 21 January 2009. Approximately 5,000 people were expected to attend the rally, but initial reports indicate that only a few hundred are in attendance. Despite the small size, road traffic in the area has been closed. The groups have been staging multiple anti-government protests in the past week and have threatened to call for peaceful civil disobedience and a general political strike if their demands -- which include the resignation of the interior minister and legislative and electoral system changes -- are not met by 27 January.