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 other 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 police broke out when some masked protesters attacked the offices of the ruling conservative Gerb party and the DPS party in Sofia.
The government said on Tuesday it would abandon the plan, which also would have raised taxes. This came after similar protests broke out last week when the initial plan was submitted to parliament.
The 2026 budget will be Bulgaria's first delivered in euros, as the country joins the eurozone on January 1. Public opinion is divided over adopting the euro, with some fearing it could lead to sharp inflation in one of the EU's poorest nations.
Protests against government corruption have been frequent in Bulgaria, which has been run by short-lived governments since 2020, following protests that led to the end of another Gerb-led coalition.
Monday's rally is thought to have been the largest in Sofia for years, with protesters filling a huge square outside parliament carrying signs demanding a change in leadership. Significant protests also took place in Plovdiv, Varna, Burgas, Blagoevgrad, and other cities.
Critics of the budget plan highlighted increases in social security contributions and taxes on dividends to fund higher spending while also addressing state corruption.
Bulgarian President Rumen Radev condemned the violence, referring to it as a provocation by the mafia, and urged adherence to the law. He stated, There is only one way out: resignation and early elections.
The government's statement confirmed they would withdraw the budget proposals and commence a new budget procedure.
Bulgaria's opposition party, meanwhile, has called for the government to resign, asserting that simply abandoning the draft budget is insufficient.
