Bulgaria Scraps Controversial Budget Plan Amidst Mass Protests

Thu Dec 04 2025 21:55:55 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The Bulgarian government has agreed to withdraw its contentious budget proposal after tens of thousands of citizens protested against it, citing government corruption and proposed tax increases.

Following widespread protests involving tens of thousands of individuals throughout Bulgaria, the government has decided to scrap its controversial budget plan for 2026. The protests, which erupted against the backdrop of public discontent regarding government corruption and tax hikes, saw clashes with police and significant demonstrations in cities including Sofia, Plovdiv, and Varna. Amid calls for change, the opposition party has demanded government resignations.

Bulgaria's government has said it will withdraw its controversial 2026 budget plan after massive rallies were held against it on Monday night in the capital, Sofia, and in cities across the country.

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

Clashes with the police broke out when some masked protesters attacked the offices of the ruling conservative Gerb party and also the DPS party in Sofia.

The government said on Tuesday it would abandon the plan, which also would have raised taxes. It comes after similar protests broke out last week when the initial plan was submitted to parliament.

Next year's budget will be Bulgaria's first delivered in euros, as it joins the eurozone on 1 January.

Public opinion regarding adopting the euro is divided, with some fearing it could lead to sharp inflation in what is one of the EU's poorest countries.

Protests against government corruption have been frequent in Bulgaria, which has been run by short-lived governments since 2020, following protests that ended another Gerb-led coalition.

Monday's rally is thought to have been the largest in the capital for years, with protesters filling a huge square in front of parliament carrying signs urging change in leadership.

Significant protests also took place in Plovdiv, Varna, Burgas, Blagoevgrad, and other cities.

Critics of the abandoned budget plan cited increases to social security contributions and taxes on dividends, as well as state corruption, as their reasons for protesting.

Bulgarian President Rumen Radev called for an end to the violence, describing it as a provocation by the mafia, and urged everyone to obey the law. He stated, There is only one way out: resignation and early elections. The government is currently led by Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov, who formed a minority coalition in January 2025 after the centre-right Gerb party won the October 2024 elections without a clear majority.

After Monday's protests, Zhelyazkov's government issued a brief statement indicating it would withdraw its draft proposals and initiate a new budget process. Opposition parties are demanding more than just the cancellation of the budget, insisting on the government's resignation.