Bulgaria’s Prime Minister Resigns After Mass Protests Over Corruption Ahead of Euro Adoption

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Europe Bureau Chief

SOFIA/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Bulgaria plunged into renewed political turmoil Friday after Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov resigned following mass protests accusing his minority government of corruption, just weeks before the Balkan nation is due to adopt the euro.

Zhelyazkov stepped down ahead of a planned parliamentary no-confidence vote, less than a month before Bulgaria is scheduled to adopt the euro as its official currency by joining the eurozone on January 1.

“We hear the voice of citizens protesting against the government,” Zhelyazkov stressed in a televised address. “This civic energy must be supported and encouraged.”

Between 50,000 and 100,000 demonstrators rallied in central Sofia this week, with chants of “Resignation” and “Mafia Out” projected onto parliament buildings.

Protests also erupted in major cities, including Plovdiv, Varna, Burgas, and Blagoevgrad, making it one of the largest waves of demonstrations in years.

PRESIDENT SUPPORT PROTESTS

President Rumen Radev, who holds a largely ceremonial role, publicly backed the protesters and called on the government to resign.

Anger has focused on alleged corruption and the perceived influence of oligarch Delyan Peevski, who has been sanctioned by the United States and Britain, and former prime minister Boyko Borissov, leader of the GERB party.

Both men deny wrongdoing, but protesters accuse them of wielding outsized power behind the scenes.

Borissov was prime minister when similar protests toppled his government in 2020, triggering years of political instability and repeated elections.

GOVERNMENT’S BUDGET U-TURN

The crisis intensified after the government withdrew a controversial 2026 budget plan, which protesters said masked corruption and would raise taxes in one of the EU’s poorest countries.

Clashes erupted when masked protesters attacked party offices, with police arresting more than 70 people. Authorities reported vandalism, arson, and confrontations with riot police.

However, “We want to be a European country, not one ruled by corruption and the mafia,” said Ventsislava Vasileva, a 21-year-old student.

Despite the upheaval, officials say Bulgaria’s entry into the eurozone remains on track. Zhelyazkov said ministers would stay on in a caretaker capacity until a new government is formed, urging citizens to offer “authentic proposals” for the country’s future leadership.

Those words did little to change reality on the ground: Bulgaria still ranks among the EU’s worst performers for perceived corruption, according to watchdog Transparency International, and has been governed mainly by short-lived coalitions since 2020.

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