Protests have been taking place in Sofia for the third day running in defence of the principal director of the Ivan Vazov National Theatre Alexander Morfov whose disciplinary dismissal from the post was made public on 28 February. Before his dismissal, the theatre’s PR officer Velislava Krasteva announced she was handing in her resignation.

Alexander Morfov’s dismissal and Velislava Krasteva’s resignation came after a scandal which broke out at the National Theatre a few months ago as a result of the appointment of Velislava Krasteva, who is former PR officer of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) to the post of PR officer of the National Theatre. She is also former MRF MP and accompanied the Movement’s honorary chairman Ahmed Dogan as he went to cast his vote at the previous election for parliament. This elicited a strong reaction among some members of the theatre company. Velislava Krasteva’s door at the National Theatre had “MRF” and “Get out” scribbled onto it and the name plate was broken off, which director Alexander Morfov took responsibility for. He later accused Krasteva of “political propaganda”.

At a press conference, National Theatre director Vasil Vasilev stated that the positions of Alexander Morfov and Velislava Krasteva at the theatre had been terminated so as to preserve the theatre, but added that Morfov’s stagings will still be played. Vasilev stated further that for four months he had fought to keep the institution going and to preserve the dignity of the staff.

Alexander Morfov is one of the most popular stage directors in Bulgaria, holder of numerous prestigious Bulgarian and international awards.