Thousands of people protested both in the capital of Bulgaria, Sofia and in other cities of the country, against the budget project for 2026, the first one drafted in euro before the state adopts the single currency on January 1, reports IPN.
The foreign press reports on clashes between protesters and police. Law enforcement officers have surrounded the offices of the ruling parties in Sofia and protesters have thrown stones, bottles and firecrackers towards the security forces.
At the same time, almost half of Bulgarians oppose the adoption of the euro, fearing that it will affect the country’s sovereignty and that traders will take advantage of the transition from the Bulgarian lev to the euro, to raise prices. The President of the European Central Bank, Christine Lagarde, has warned that inflation could increase at the moment of Bulgaria’s accession to the eurozone.
Opposition formations and a series of organizations in Bulgaria have explained that they are protesting against the government’s plans to increase social contributions and dividend taxes, in order to finance rising expenses, as well as against state corruption.
The country’s budget for 2026 was approved by the relevant parliamentary committee, then, on November 28, due to protests, the Government, led by Rosen Zhelyazkov, promised to resend the budget project to Parliament, to allow more time for consultations with opposition parties, unions and employers.
