The government of Bulgaria withdrew an unpopular 2026 draft budget after tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets in the capital, Sofia, and other cities across the country
The government of
Bulgaria withdrew an unpopular 2026 draft budget after tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets in the capital, Sofia, and other cities across the country. According to Fox News, the protests have been mostly led by Gen Z Bulgarians who accused the government of concealing widespread corruption.
Business groups and members of the opposition of the European nation protested against the draft budget, arguing that it would harm Bulgaria’s economy just before it’s set to join the Eurozone in early 2026.
“Gen Z took to the streets because they want to stay in Bulgaria, but they want a renewed, different, corruption-free Bulgaria,” Daniel Lorer, member of Bulgaria’s parliament, told Fox News. “They want reforms. The government refused to listen. The budget it proposed simply extended all its previous policies, funded through higher taxes, social security contributions and more debt,” Lorer added.
How the government backed down
As the protests continued across the country, Bulgaria’s government, led by Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov, eventually backed down, vowing to drop the most divisive elements of the budget, including tax and social security increases. The Bulgarian prime minister made it clear that the new budget will incorporate the protesters’ demands and will be proposed at a later date.
“The government saw what the citizens who protested had to say…I support these people who protest for more rights, more democracy, more justice. We believe that the protest is not so much political, but more of a social, human side, in search of more dialogue, more tolerance, and more harmony in social relations,” Prime Minister Zhelyazkov said at a press conference.
“This is a visible protest of young people, young people who are looking for their place in the future of Bulgaria, which we are obliged to hear, and we are obliged to do what is necessary to secure the funds that the country has,” Zhelyazkov furthered.
While the demonstrators were mostly peaceful, some masked protesters clashed with police after attacking offices of the ruling party in Sofia. It is pertient to note that political instability in European nations, especially those close to Russia, has remained ripe for Moscow’s usual tricks of intervening in the domestic affairs of its former communist bloc allies.
“Russia is always glad to stir unrest. Anything that upsets the democratic process in any EU country is welcome, and even more so in Eastern Europe, their former sphere of influence,” Lorer said. Amid the chaos, Bulgarian President Rumen Radev sided with the opposition and opposed the budget, calling for the resignation of the government and early elections. It is pertinent to note that the position of the president in Bulgaria is largely ceremonial.
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