site.btaGERB Leader Borissov Says Euro Budget at Core of Protests

The protests are about blocking the budget in euro, GERB leader Boyko Borissov told journalists in the parliamentary lobby when asked about Thursday’s protests in downtown Sofia.

Borissov added that joining the euro area cannot but worry MPs from Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB).

Citizens gathered for a protest titled Freedom for the Political Prisoners in front of the new National Assembly’s building on Thursday evening, rallying against what they described as judicial arbitrariness in the country.

Asked whether the purpose of the protests was not different, Borissov said: “These people arrested me – [former prime minister and co-chair of CC] Kiril Petkov, [former finance minister and CC chair] Assen Vassilev.” “Were they there [at the protest]?”, Borissov asked. Responding to whether he had seen other people at the protest, Borissov said that there were a thousand people working at Sofia Municipality’s administration alone.

Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria-Spasi Sofia candidate Vassil Terziev won the mayoral election in the capital city after receiving 48.2% of the vote in the run-off in the 2023 local elections.

“This is the best thing, to protest,” Borissov said, addressing the protesting citizens. “I am also dissatisfied and I agree with Kiril Petkov that bars forge leaders,” he said. “Thanks to his bars, I restored GERB and the power of GERB,” he added.

Borissov was referring to his own arrest in 2022, along with his former finance minister and with GERB's PR officer, under the government led by Continue the Change. Borissov was released and the court ruled the arrest was unlawful.

"In my opinion, we should change the electoral law so that it gives privileges to all of us who have been in detention and we should have a bonus of 10, 15, 20 MPs," Borissov said.