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I support the protest against the Bulgarian Football Union, as long as it is peaceful and legal. This is what the BFU presidential candidate Dimitar Berbatov said in "This Morning" on bTV. The former international commented on the planned protest against the management of BFU before the European qualification with Hungary on November 16. The union moved the match to Plovdiv, on the recommendation of UEFA, due to concerns about possible protests by fans in Sofia.
Berbatov was adamant that he supports the supporters' protest as long as it is peaceful and legal, and is happy about the unity among the football community. "My opinion is that there is unity - I support the protest as long as it's peaceful, it's normal after so many years of rule by people who think they have impunity. Everything must be within the limits of peace and law. When you fight against such people - monsters, you should not become a monster. We must try to remain human. The national team players are not to blame and should play the game. After 18 years we have reached this situation. My team and I have been protesting for two years now in our own way. I am so glad that there is a unity of people who will show their disagreement against all this", he began and continued regarding the move of the match to Plovdiv.
“I can't say what happened, but I can guess what happened. That a letter be sent from BFU to UEFA due to these possible disturbances, asking UEFA to move the match. Most likely they were not familiar. The fear that shines through here is important. Here are the moments that arouse laughter - the president wrote himself a six. If you are, what are you running from? Absurd and pathetic. The footballers are not to blame, they should be allowed to play. The dissatisfaction itself, the protests themselves, are against the management of Bulgarian football. Everyone knows it, even the people who ask "Who wants our resignations". "Football must not suffer and it must not come to extremes".
Berbatov also appealed to the football community. "To the fans - you need to be united, there is an external enemy trying to take your football away, don't let it happen in a peaceful and legal way. Everyone has their club preferences, everyone has to show that this is our football and then everyone goes back to their club preferences. Use social media to express your displeasure. You can see the state of our football after 18 years. Everyone can express their opinion. The moment is ripe, born of the disinterest of the people who manage Bulgarian football. Of course there is a percentage who support the current administration and I would be happy if someone said they support them because of this and that".
He declined to confirm his attendance at the planned protest next week. "Here is the delicate topic - Berbatov and his team have been protesting for two and a half years. No one has the right to say that any of us is organizing a protest. I support this in the peaceful and lawful. Let's show that we are different, but we are looking for change", concluded the former international. /BGNES
