Bulgaria Sees Massive Protests Against Budget and Corruption

Sofia: Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of Bulgaria on Monday evening, voicing their discontent with the 2026 budget and calling for the resignation of the government. The protests, which are the largest the Balkan nation has witnessed in years, spanned the capital, Sofia, and at least a dozen other cities.

According to Deutsche Welle, demonstrators in central Sofia gathered in front of the National Assembly building, with one of the rally organizers estimating the attendance at 50,000. The crowd chanted “Resignation!” while waving Bulgarian and European Union flags. Protesters projected messages such as “Resign” and “Mafia” onto government buildings, and displayed banners reading “Generation Z is coming” and “Young Bulgaria without the mafia.”

The protests are driven by the citizens’ frustration with the proposed 2026 budget, which includes increased taxes on dividends and higher social security contributions. Additionally, there is widespread anger over public sector corruption, with demand
s for the resignation of Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov’s minority coalition government. Bulgaria, home to 6.4 million people, is ranked as one of the most corrupt countries in the European Union.

Reports indicate that the main protest in Sofia was initially peaceful; however, clashes with police ensued as some protesters threw rocks, bottles, and firecrackers. They also set garbage containers on fire and damaged a police van. The Bulgarian News Agency, BTA, reported that police responded with pepper spray, resulting in at least 10 arrests and two injured officers. Protesters also vandalized the headquarters of the ruling party and another supporting party.

President Rumen Radev condemned the violence and called for the government to step down, advocating for resignation and early elections. The current government is a minority coalition comprised of GERB, the Bulgarian Socialist Party, and There Is Such a People (ITN).

The controversy surrounding the 2026 budget has sparked significant concern over its e
conomic impact, particularly given Bulgaria’s status as the EU’s poorest member. Critics fear the budget could exacerbate corruption in the public sector. Prime Minister Zhelyazkov had promised to withdraw the draft budget and propose a new one following last week’s protests. Meanwhile, the president of the European Central Bank, Christine Lagarde, cautioned that Bulgaria’s entry into the euro zone could lead to increased inflation.