A nationalist running in the November 14 presidential election in Bulgaria has been indicted over an attack last weekend against an LGBTQ community centre in Sofia, the prosecution said Wednesday.

The foundation that runs the centre accused Boyan Stankov - known as Boyan Rasate - of leading the attack last Saturday, during which one of their employees was hit in the face and the space was vandalised.

Eleven foreign ambassadors visited the centre on Monday to express solidarity and strongly condemned the attack, which also sparked a small protest in Sofia and was slammed by the Council of Europe's Commissioner for Human Rights and Amnesty International.

The 50-year-old Rasate was stripped of his immunity as a presidential candidate, opening the way for the prosecution.

He was detained and indicted on Wednesday on two hooliganism counts - for "acts that grossly violate public order" and for "battery perpetrated with hooligan, racist or xenophobic motives," the prosecution said in a statement, identifying Rasate as a presidential candidate with the initials B.S.

Both crimes risk jail sentences.

"The accused pleaded not guilty and has exercised his right not to give any explanation," the statement added.

Hate crimes are not specifically outlawed in Bulgaria, and the penal code treats them as acts of hooliganism - something that Rainbow Hub and other human rights organisations have fought to change.

Public opinion in Bulgaria is predominantly hostile to gay people.

The EU member has notably refused to ratify the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, better known as the Istanbul Convention, under the pretext that this will open the way to legalising gay marriage.