02.12.2025 17:58
Tens of thousands of people took to the streets in Bulgaria, accusing the government of corruption and criticizing the 2026 budget proposal. Clashes broke out between the police and the protesters, with some buildings being attempted to be looted and containers set on fire. A total of 71 people were detained during the protests.
In a statement from the Sofia Directorate of Internal Affairs in Bulgaria, it was reported that the number of people detained during government protests, which saw tens of thousands participating yesterday, has risen to 71, and three police officers were lightly injured. The Bulgarian government announced the withdrawal of the controversial 2026 budget proposal that was the target of the protests.
71 DETENTIONS IN ANTI-CORRUPTION PROTESTS IN BULGARIA Yesterday, in Bulgaria, particularly in the capital Sofia, tens of thousands of demonstrators accused the government of corruption and protested the euro-based 2026 budget proposal, with the number of detentions rising to 71. The Sofia Directorate of Internal Affairs emphasized that the protest held in front of the National Assembly was conducted peacefully, but after 10:00 PM local time, provocateurs initiated violent incidents, resulting in three police officers being lightly injured.
Sofia's Interior Minister Lyubomir Nikolov stated that security forces collaborated with civilians to prevent escalating tensions during the protest, and reported that the police established 21 checkpoints on the streets of Sofia as part of security measures. Nikolov explained that various prohibited items, including an air gun, were detected during security screenings at the checkpoints. He noted that security teams were assigned to identify individuals engaging in provocative actions within the crowd, emphasizing that violence was inevitably experienced due to the protest organizers' inability to report these individuals to the authorities. Nikolov reported that despite provocations, security forces did not escalate tensions.
CONTAINERS SET ON FIRE During the violent incidents, some demonstrators threw stones, bottles, and fireworks at security personnel who had set up barricades in front of political party headquarters, attempted to loot some buildings, damaged a police vehicle, and set trash containers on fire.
According to the statement released by the Directorate, among those detained are 19 young individuals. Bobokov is accused of collaborating with a group of provocateurs to set trash containers on fire. The statement also reported that another detained individual was found with various amounts of 31,000 Bulgarian leva, with street names written on them. Authorities believe that this money was intended to promote provocative actions during the protests.
GOVERNMENT WITHDRAWS BUDGET PROPOSAL The Bulgarian government announced the withdrawal of the controversial 2026 budget proposal in response to the public's strong reaction and large protests. The statement said, "Following the parliamentary decision, the cabinet will initiate a new budget process." The government had previously announced that the budget would be revised after protests held in recent weeks, but had not taken action on this matter. The public reacted to this situation by organizing yesterday's protests, which saw the participation of tens of thousands.
Preparing to switch to the euro currency by January 2026, Bulgaria's 2026 budget was drafted based on this change. A significant portion of the country's population believes that Bulgaria's entry into the eurozone would jeopardize the country's sovereignty and is concerned that retailers might exploit this currency change, leading to exorbitant price increases.