Freedom of assembly enforcement in Bulgaria during the coronavirus crisis

Abstract

During the coronavirus pandemic, numerous restrictions on human rights and civil freedoms began to be introduced in all European Union countries. As a result, the number of assemblies and protests during which citizens expressed their dissatisfaction with ongoing democratic backsliding, inefficient public health service, and poor crisis management increased significantly. The lack of acceptance for subsequent legal solutions has also been repeatedly emphasized, looking for a tool of oppression instead of concern for health. However, over the months, the number of infections has increased significantly, which has forced governments to make decisions that would induce people to vaccinate against COVID-19. As a result, antivaccine movements have become active, which can be described as new pandemic-induced social movements. Bulgaria was for a long time at the forefront of countries where the percentage of vaccinated was the lowest, so when the so-called Green Certificate was introduced, anti-vaxxers gathered in front of the Bulgarian parliament. The protest took place at a time when the infection record was reached. The first aim of this article is to trace the dynamics of protest group’s development related to the introduction of mandatory vaccination on the example of the assembly that took place on the day of the highest increase in infections in January 2022. The second aim is to determine the intended and unintended consequences of this development. The study used the analysis of sources, focusing primarily on reports from global news portals. On the example of this protest, several dimensions of the movement’s activity can be distinguished, which allow us to see the dynamics of this group. During the assembly in front of the Bulgarian parliament, one can distinguish activity in the symbolic, declarative, forceful and emotional dimensions.