Police officers were preparing their largest protest yet in front of the Interior Ministry building, with participants expected to descend from all over the country to join their colleagues from Sofia. One of their paramount demands would be an immediate wage increase of at least 50 per cent, Dnevnik daily reported.

Their demands were unlikely to be met, as this year's budget of the Interior Ministry had no spare funds. Moreover, the officers will demand that they receive full financial compensation for over time duties and night shift duties completed.

Additionally, the police force demanded immediate top to bottom amendment of the Penal Code, asking for more severe punishments, which would prevent the almost immediate release of criminals, or against culprits who have attacked police officers whilst fulfilling their duties.

Police also want resisting arrest to become a criminal offnce, as would refusal to obey police orders.

Improvement of the material, technical and financial benefits as well as additional supplementary benefits are also high on the agenda, in accordance to the specification of their duties within a maximum period of payment of four months. Another important issue on the agenda is a tripling of financial resources allocated for kit and other vital police equipment and uniforms, plus a minimum of 120 leva per month worth of food subsidy.

Finally, protesters want a new police union, which would require amending the Interior Ministry regulations. Police officers have claimed that they will demand the new labour unionas the current one does not defend their rights, and they have given interior minister Mihail Mihov one month to comply with their demands.

Police officers protested twice in December and had one of their demands met, receiving Christmas bonuses even as most other branches of public adminstration got none, but their discontent appears to run deeper than the top Interior Ministry officials might have initially thought.