Two protesters were arrested during the protests on September 4 2007 around the Levski Monument in Sofia.

Around 200 environmentalists gathered in the city centre to protest against the destruction of Bulgarian nature and the suspended decision of Environment and Water Affairs Minister Djevdet Chakurov about the Rila Park, Focus News Agency reported.

On August 22 2007, Chakurov ordered an immediate check of the park as rumour had it that a tourist and ski centre would be built there. He was committed then not to allow any destruction of the park.

The protesters circled the Levski Monument in Sofia by passing the crosswalks to interrupt traffic as a sign of protest. They carried signs which read "No concrete!", "Let's save Irakli!", "Bulgaria is not disposable", and others.

The police have stopped some of the protesting ecologists from passing the crosswalks around the monument. The protests caused traffic jams as protesters only allowed trolleybuses to pass.

Policemen attempted to free crosswalks of the road around the monument for traffic. In the scuffling that followed, two protesters were arrested. They have been released later in the evening.

There are many foreigners involved in the event, Focus News Agency said.

More protests are expected as decisions about the territories to be included in the European environmental network Natura 2000 have been scheduled to be taken in mid-September.