Bulgarian nationalists attack car believing von der Leyen was inside

The nationalist Revival party tried to prevent European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen from entering a weapons plant in Bulgaria's city of Sopot on Sunday, attacking a vehicle that those gathered believed she was in.

Revival's leader Kostadin Kostadinov, who has previously called for Bulgaria's withdrawal from NATO, organised demonstrations with another nationalist party, Velichie, at the Vazov Machine Engineering Plants in Sopot in opposition to Bulgaria's European path and demanded protection of national sovereignty.

Kostadinov was filmed blocking a black vehicle, claiming that the Bulgarian police — who were attempting to get the demonstrators to allow the car to pass — "wanted to run me over".

In a video he shared on social media, the demonstrators carrying Bulgarian and Russian flags are seen surrounding the car, which then proceeded forward but was struck several times with one of the banners.

Kostadinov can be seen arguing with the police to boos, whistles and shouts of "Nazis," as the vehicle was further surrounded by protesters.

It is unclear whether the European Commission president was in the vehicle at the time of the incident. Kostadinov later claimed she arrived at the Sopot factory by helicopter, not by car.

VDL visits regardless

Despite the protests, von der Leyen proceeded with her tour of Bulgaria's largest state-owned military enterprise, alongside Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov and GERB party leader Boyko Borissov, as part of a tour of frontline states that also included Poland and Finland.

"This is exactly the kind of project we want to see," von der Leyen said during the facility visit. "It will bring good jobs to the region. Up to 1,000 new jobs will come here to Sopot thanks to these projects, but we increase also our ammunition production."

The European Commission president praised Bulgaria's plans to build a gunpowder plant and expand artillery shell production, meeting NATO standards, and suggested that Sofia could benefit from additional EU Safety Action for Europe (SAFE) funding to accelerate growth in the defence industry.

Von der Leyen has repeatedly emphasised the need to boost European defence capabilities following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, now in its fourth year.

Kostadinov previously accused Bulgarian political leaders of being von der Leyen's "servants" for "betraying" public will and called her a "symbol of the degradation of European civilisation."

The Revival or Vazrazhdane party regularly organises anti-EU protests demanding Bulgaria's exit from the 27-member bloc.

Supporters have previously vandalised the European delegation building in Sofia, throwing red paint and attempting to set the door on fire.

The protests on Sunday were the latest escalation amid ongoing tensions between the Bulgarian leadership and nationalist opposition groups pushing back against EU defence initiatives.