Bulgaria’s planned Budget after thousands joined the protests

Bulgaria’s government said it would withdraw its controversial 2026 budget plan after suppressing several rallies Monday night in Sofia and in cities across the country.

Tens of people joined the protests to oppose the draft budget, which they said tried to hide widespread corruption in the government.

The explosions of the police attacked when some masked protesters attacked the offices of the ruling conservative Party in Gerb and also the DPS Party in Sofia.

The government said on Tuesday it would abandon the plan, which also included a tax hike. This comes after similar protests took place last week, when the first plan was submitted to Parliament.

Next year’s budget will be Bulgaria’s first in euros, since it joined the Eurozone on January 1.

Public opinion on the adoption of the euro is divided, with some fearing that it could lead to sharp inflation in what is one of the EU’s poorest countries.

Protests against government corruption have become frequent in Bulgaria, which has been run by short-lived governments since 2020, after protests marked the end of an uprising in Gerbubad.

Monday’s rally is thought to be the biggest in the capital in years, with protesters filling a large square in front of Parliament to bring about a change in leadership.

Significant protests also took place in Plovdiv, Varna, Burgas, BlegoEvgrad and other towns.

Critics of the abandoned Budget Plan say that they are protesting against the increase in social contributions and taxes on the distribution of financial management.

“We are here to protest for our future. We want to be a European country, no one ruled by corruption and the Mafia,” a 21-year-old student told AFP News Agency.

More than 70 people were arrested after masked protesters attacked the offices of political parties, according to Interior Affairs of SOFIA led by Lyubomir Nikolov.

Bulgarian President Radem Radev called for an end to the violence, which he dismissed as a “provocation by the mafia”, and urged everyone to abide by the law.

“Provocations do not change the truth: Bulgarians say no to this government,” he said in a Facebook post before leaving the budget. “There is only one way: Resignation and early elections.”

As head of state, Radevov has a largely ceremonial role.

The current government led by Prime Minister Zhyazkov, who created a minor coalition in January 2025 after the election of Center-Aboz in October 2024 without a clear majority.

A parliamentary committee adopted the budget plan on November 18, but Zhyazkov later said he would take more time to consult with opposition parties.

After Monday’s protests, Zhyazkov’s government issued a brief statement saying it would withdraw the draft’s amendments and begin a new budget process.

Bulgaria’s opposition party is calling on the government to resign, saying abandoning the draft budget is not enough, according to local media.