Alessandro Digaetano Photographer

Bulgaria is the poorest country in the European Union and is considered the most corrupt country among the EU. This summer, European officials froze almost ?500 million in financing alarmed at freewheeling criminals who practice so-called elegant white collar crime and maintain links to the very highest reaches of power. The decision reflected concern among diplomats and fraud investigators over Bulgaria's ability to prevent the money from being siphoned off by organized crime. Many business people were waiting for the subside to modernize their structures are now in the trouble. The competition with other countries has become impossible especially for farmers, breeders and milk producers. These reasons added other social concerns have led in recent months many protests and rallies in Sofia. The protesters (students, young mothers, milk and grain producers, "greens") want the resignation of Interior Minister Mihail Mikov, and meeting the individual demands of the various groups.. The civic organizations also want changes to the Referendum Act including the abolition of the requirement that at least 700 000 signatures should be collected for the initiating of a referendum, and entitling the Ombudsman to initiate a referendum. The protesters are in favor of the introduction of a mixed ballot system. *** LOCAL CAPTION *** Sofia suburb.