Thousands rally vs. corruption in Bulgaria, EU’s poorest member state

Thousands of Bulgarians rallied on Wednesday evening against the country's minority government and what they say is its failure to tackle endemic corruption in the European Union's poorest member state.

The protests in the capital Sofia and dozens of other towns and cities across the Black Sea nation are the latest in a series of rolling demonstrations and come as Bulgaria prepares to adopt the euro on January 1.

Protesters used lasers to project the words "Resignation", "Mafia Out", and "For Fair Elections" on the parliament building in central Sofia.

"I think the energy of the people will gradually force them (the government) to step down because many reforms are needed," said Dobri Lakov, 64, a Sofia resident.

"First and foremost, judicial reform. If the judicial system is fixed, everything else will fall into place, absolutely everything."

Bulgaria's parliament will hold a vote of no-confidence on Thursday in the government of Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov , the sixth such vote since it took power on January 15 this year.

Last week, the government withdrew its 2026 budget plan, the first drafted in euros, due to the mass protests. Opposition parties and other organisations said they were protesting against plans to hike social security contributions and taxes on dividends to finance higher state spending.

Despite the government's retreat over the budget plan, the protests have continued unabated in a country which has held seven national elections in the past four years - most recently in October 2024 - amid deep political and social divisions.

"It is finally time for normality to come to Bulgaria and for us to free ourselves from the oligarchy, the mafia, and the forces that represent them," said Angelin Bahchevanov, an IT specialist.

Bulgarian news agency BTA reported on Wednesday that Boyko Borissov, a former prime minister and leader of the ruling GERB party, said the ruling coalition partners had agreed not to resign before Bulgaria joins the euro zone on January 1.

However, Assen Vassilev of the reformist opposition party "We Continue the Change", which was among the organisers of Wednesday's protest, said: "We will enter the euro zone, even if the government has resigned."