Bulgarian Government Withdraws Budget Plan Amidst Public Demonstrations

Bulgarian Government Withdraws 2026 Budget Plan Following Nationwide Protests

The government of Bulgaria has announced the withdrawal of its draft 2026 budget plan. This decision came after widespread public demonstrations were held on Monday night in the capital, Sofia, and various other cities across the country.

Tens of thousands of individuals participated in these protests. Opponents of the draft budget cited concerns over alleged government corruption, as well as proposed increases to social security contributions and taxes on dividends intended to fund higher state spending.

In Sofia, some masked demonstrators engaged in clashes with police and attacked the offices of the ruling Gerb party and the DPS party. According to Sofia's interior affairs chief Lyubomir Nikolov, more than 70 people were arrested following these incidents. Similar protests had taken place the previous week when the budget plan was initially presented to parliament.

The proposed 2026 budget was designed to be Bulgaria's first denominated in euros, aligning with its scheduled entry into the eurozone on January 1. Public opinion within Bulgaria regarding euro adoption is currently divided, with some expressing concerns about potential inflationary impacts in what is one of the European Union's poorest member states.

Protests addressing government corruption have been a recurring feature in Bulgaria. Since 2020, the country has experienced several short-lived governments, with previous Gerb-led coalitions also facing public dissent. Monday's demonstration in Sofia was noted as one of the capital's largest in recent years.