Bulgaria Abandons Budget Plan Following Nationwide Protests

Fri Dec 05 2025 14:43:40 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The Bulgarian government has withdrawn its controversial 2026 budget plan after tens of thousands protested against what they deemed harmful tax increases and corruption.

In a significant response to widespread discontent, the Bulgarian government announced the withdrawal of its proposed 2026 budget, which faced fierce opposition from tens of thousands of protesters across several cities. The protests erupted over issues of government corruption and planned tax hikes. While clashes with the police occurred in Sofia, the government ultimately decided to start anew on the budget process.

Bulgaria's government has announced it will withdraw its controversial 2026 budget plan following massive rallies against it that took place on Monday night in Sofia and various cities throughout the country.

Tens of thousands of people joined protests to voice their opposition to the draft budget, which critics claimed was an attempt to obscure widespread government corruption.

Clashes with the police were reported as some masked protesters targeted the offices of the ruling conservative Gerb party and the DPS party in Sofia.

In response to the uproar, the government stated on Tuesday that it would abandon the contentious budget proposal that included tax increases. The protests initially arose last week when the budget was first submitted to parliament.

Next year’s budget would have marked Bulgaria's first budget delivered in euros, coinciding with its membership in the eurozone starting January. However, public opinion on adopting the euro remains divisive, with fears surfacing about potential inflation impacts in one of the EU's poorest nations.

Protests against government corruption have been common in Bulgaria, which has seen a succession of short-lived governments since 2020, following earlier demonstrations that led to the fall of another Gerb-led coalition.

Monday's protests were noted as some of the largest in recent years, with attendees filling a vast square in front of the parliament, bearing signs demanding change in leadership. Significant demonstrations also took place in Plovdiv, Varna, Burgas, Blagoevgrad, and more.

Critics of the now-abandoned budget cited increases to social security contributions and taxes on dividends as points of contention, as well as ongoing corruption allegations. We are here to protest for our future. We want to be a European country, not one ruled by corruption and the mafia, stated Ventsislava Vasileva, a 21-year-old student.

Consequences of the protests included over 70 arrests following attacks on political party offices, as confirmed by Sofia's interior chief.

Bulgaria’s President Rumen Radev urged an end to the violence and described it as a provocation by the mafia, asserting the need for early elections and a governmental resignation. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov announced plans to withdraw the draft proposals and initiate a new budget process following the protests, while the opposition party continues to demand the resignation of the government.