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| - Anti-government protesters occupied two key crossroads in downtown Sofia on Thursday, vowing to block traffic until the conservative government they accuse of corruption resigns. Thousands of people have rallied for three weeks in the Bulgarian capital and other cities in the poor EU member's biggest protests in years. Since late Wednesday, protesters have set up several tents on Eagles Bridge, one of Sofia's busiest downtown crossroads, as well as outside the government headquarters. One of the protest organisers, Nikolay Hadjigenov, told public BNR radio that the traffic blockades and other civil disobedience action would be maintained until Prime Minister Boyko Borisov quits. "Borisov won't hear us. We don't have any such illusions so we must bring him down by force," Hadjigenov said. Police have not intervened so far to clear the tents. Wednesday evening's rally gathered more than 5,000 people who shouted "Resign!" outside the government headquarters. Hundreds more walked along the downtown boulevard linking the government and Eagles Bridge, blocking traffic throughout Wednesday. Borisov, whose third term in office expires in March 2021, has refused to quit. In a Facebook message late Wednesday, he warned against "closing crossroads to disrupt people's normal lives." "There are elections next year. Whoever wins them will govern. This is democracy," he said. Thirteen years after joining the EU, Bulgaria remains its poorest, as well as its most graft-ridden member, according to Transparency International's corruption perception index. ds/jza/ach
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