The Bulgarian parliament voted on Wednesday in favour of the detention of two nationalist Ataka MPs, who are being investigated for their alleged participation in three incidents in downtown Sofia.

A total of 124 MPs voted in favour, 19 were against, while 15 abstained, daily Dnevnik informs.

Earlier on Wednesday, Volen Siderov, the leader of Ataka, and his fellow party member Desislav Chukolov had given up voluntarily their immunity from criminal prosecution, which would allow for proceedings against them to take place.

On Tuesday, the Prosecutor's Office accused Siderov and Chukolov of hooliganism carried out with an extraordinary degree of cynicism and inflicting light injuries on police officers.

In the past month, the two MPs have been involved in three incidents in the area of the National academy for theatre and film arts (NATFIZ).

In the first instance, Siderov and Chukolov accused the owners of an alcohol and tobacco store near NATFIZ of selling drugs and illicit cigarettes, which escalated into a brawl with shop owners, citizens and police officers.

In the next two instances, they rushed into the building of NATFIZ, disturbing classes and insulting students of using drugs.

Chief Prosecutor Sotir Tsatsarov has called twice on parliament to lift the immunity of the two MPs and demanded their detention.

On the first occasion concerning the attack on the shop, the parliament revoked the immunity of the two MPs after Siderov and Chukolov had refused to give it up voluntarily.

On the second occasion concerning the incursions into NATFIZ, the two nationalists gave up their immunity voluntarily.

If convicted, Siderov could be sentenced to three years in prison, while Chukolov could face a five-year imprisonment.