Ethnic tensions are spreading all over Bulgaria. After the recent attacks on Bulgarian Jehovah Witness temple, and then Muslim mosque in the center of Sofia, now the targets are Bulgarian Roma population. In light of all this we can not but wonder does the government in Bulgaria functions, and what is going on with the EU when racism is so brazenly and consistently displayed in a member country? After all, Bulgaria is part of the EU where the rule of law and respect for human rights suppose to be the norm? Unless all that is just the talk, and rules readily bent over when it comes to racism so openly practiced by Bulgarians.

In the latest episode 150 riot police have been stationed in the central southern Bulgaria village of Katunitsa, but only after violence between local ethnic Bulgarians and Roma erupted Friday overnight and houses of prominent Roma leader were burnt. The village nearby major Bulgarian city of Plovdiv is home to part of the family of a famous Bulgarian Roma leader Kiril Rashkov, aka Tsar Kiro.

According to non-Roma residents, Friday night a van full of people intentionally raced and ran down to death a local 19-year-old, who was walking his dog. After that men from the village gathered around Rashkov's family houses as vigilantes to accuse them of crimes. A mob full of angy rioters threw incediary devices at the Rashkov's houses, and only after that squads and riot police were sent of to the village. Eyewitness say that even the firefighters showed late and houses were mostly burnt down.

As it is customary by now, police arrived only after the damage was done. They came after the burring and loathing by vigilantes was done so not to be accused of not showing up at all, but far from preventively acting to protect lives and property of all Bulgarian citizens.

Bulgarian Roma Leader: My Family Has Nothing to Do With the Crime

Bulgarian Roma leader Kiril Rashkov, has stated his family have nothing to do with the death case that provoked ethnic unrest in the village of Katuntsi.

"Neither I nor my family have anything to do with the death case," said Tsar Kiro for Nova TV Saturday evening.

He went on to say that Angel Petrov, 19-year-old who was killed by a van, was belonging to "a group of extremists" who have been molesting his family for years.

"My family won't be moving of Katunitsa, as some villagers have requested. If they desire, they can move out," commented Tsar Kiro on calls from some angry rioters.

According to Plovdiv regional police head Todor Chonov, the Rashkov family has had an ongoing property conflict with the family of the killed Angel Petrov, with both parties having lodged complaints with the authorities.

Bulgarian Nationalists Head to Village Engulfed in Ethnic Violence

Activists from nationalist Bulgarian party VMRO have headed to the Plovdiv village of Katunitsa in the wake of interethnic violence that left 1 killed and 6 injured.

The VMRO delegation is headed by vice-chair Angel Dzhambazki and after visiting Katunitsa will stage a protest at the regional police directorate in Plovdiv.

Friday night a van driven by Plovdiv Roma ran over and killed a local young men, after simmering tensions came to a tragic end.

"Minister of Interior Tsvetan Tsvetanov must immediately answer why the Katunitsa killers are at large, while police are guarding the properties of Kiril Rashkov," stated Dzhambazki Saturday.

October 1 VMRO are calling a national rally in capital Sofia under the motto "No More Gipsiness."

Bulgarian PM: Ethnic Violence Case is Criminal, Not Political

Bulgarian PM Boyko Borisov has issued a statement calling for non-politicization of the recent case of interethnic violence in the Plovdiv village of Katunitsa.

"I am calling on all parties and politicians to behave seriously and to refrain from provoking political comments and actions, for that would lead to additional tensions," said the Bulgarian PM.

"This is a criminal case and all state officials dealing with it are regarding it as being just that," added Borisov.

Saturday PM Borisov said he is keeping close track of the events and has dispatched Ministry of Interior Chief Secretary Kalin Georgiev on the site to manage the crisis.

He emphasized that the Bulgarian government will take care of the safety of every Bulgarian citizen, and will bring perpetrators to justice, no matter their ethnicity.