site.btaCC-DB Expect No-Confidence Motion to Be Backed by Everyone Who Still Has Bit of Political Instinct

Commenting on the upcoming no-confidence motion against the government, Yes, Bulgaria (part of Democratic Bulgaria) Co-Chair and Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) MP Bozhidar Bozhanov said on Wednesday that he and his coalition partners expect the motion to be backed by everyone who still has “a bit of political instinct”, because squares across the country have said one thing – “Resign!”. He described the motion as “the no-confidence motion of the protest”.

On Wednesday, Bulgaria’s National Assembly is set to debate a draft decision on a motion of no confidence against the Council of Ministers, led by Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov, over what the opposition describes as the government’s failure in economic policy that has triggered some of the largest protests in the country. On December 1, crowds of tens of thousands flooded downtown Sofia. Large-scale demonstrations were held in the capital and most regional centres against the draft 2026 State Budget Act. The rallies were organized by the opposition CC-DB coalition following Borissov’s refusal to withdraw the already tabled budget bill. Another protest organized by CC-DB under the slogan “Resignation! Peevski and Borissov Out of Power” is set to take place in Sofia on December 10, starting at 6 p.m. Protests are also expected in other major cities across the country.

According to Bozhanov, people want MRF – New Beginning leader Delyan Peevski to finally be removed from Bulgaria’s public and political life. He said the protest is being supported by a growing number of people who, even if not physically present on the streets, are expressing their support, and argued that the current government has already effectively fallen.

Yes, Bulgaria Co-Chair and CC-DB MP Ivaylo Mirchev told reporters that CC-DB will submit a proposal on Wednesday to amend the National Service for Protection Act, which would ban the National Protection Service from guarding MPs, with the exception of the National Assembly chair, in line with practices in other European countries. He said he expects the proposals to also be supported by GERB-UDF.

Mirchev added that the protection of Delyan Peevski should be removed from the National Protection Service, arguing that it is illogical and based on a false signal.

Bozhanov also said that amendments to the Measures Against Money Laundering Act would be submitted so that the Magnitsky sanctions could finally be applied to Delyan Peevski. According to him, a solution to the political crisis and systemic instability is the introduction of machine voting, which he said would allow Peevski to be isolated from the political system.

In 2021, Peevski was designated by the United States under the Global Magnitsky Act for corruption and influence peddling. He is challenging the designation in a US court, with his lawyers arguing that there is no evidence of wrongdoing. In 2023, the United Kingdom also sanctioned Peevski for his alleged involvement “in attempts to exert control over key institutions and sectors in Bulgarian society through bribery and the use of his media empire”.