Fresh Anti-Government Rallies Held across Bulgaria

UPDATED Fresh Anti-Government Rallies Held across Bulgaria

Aerial view at the anti-government rally in central Sofia, December 10, 2025 (BTA Photo/Vladimir Shokov)

Sofia,

10.12.2025 19:05 | UPDATED 11.12.2025 00:03

(BTA)

Anti-government protests were held across Bulgaria on Wednesday evening.

In central Sofia, the organizers from the opposition Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) coalition hoped to recreate the massive rally of December 1. Taking place under the slogan “Resignation! Peevski and Borissov Out of Power”, it was centred in Independence Square which is also known as the Power Triangle, where the new National Assembly building is flanked by the Presidency and the Council of Ministers.

"Peevski" is the leader of the MRF - New Beginning, Delyan Peevski, and "Borissov" is GERB leader Boyko Borissov.

Anti-government protests were also held in other major cities across the country, including Blagoevgrad, Burgas, Dobrich, Gabrovo, Gotse Delchev, Haskovo, Kardzhali, Kazanlak, Kyustendil, Lovech, Montana, Pazardhzhik, Petrich, Pleven, Plovdiv, Razgrad, Ruse, Sandanski, Shumen, Silistra, Sliven, Smolyan, Stara Zagora, Svishtov, Targovishte, Troyan, Varna, Veliko Tarnovo, Vidin, Vratsa, and Yambol. Protests were also planned in many European cities with large Bulgarian communities.

In Sofia, the protesters sang, danced, and projected the words “Mafia” and "Fair elections" on the facade of the new National Assembly building. People carried various posters, including one showing Peevski holding a club with the head of Interior Minister Daniel Mitov on top. Another featured President Rumen Radev with the caption, "Tell us about BOTAS," referring to the contract signed by Radev's caretaker government with the Turkish petroleum pipeline corporation. Video walls showed footage created by artificial intelligence in which Peevski and Borissov hug each other and say they love each other, as well as footage in which Peevski hits Tosho Yordanov from There Is Such a People in the face, and Yordanov laughs.

Healthcare professionals without doctor's degrees and students, who staged separate protest action earlier in the day, also joined the bigger demonstration in Sofia. "When decisions are made that compromise our future, we will be the people in the square who hold them accountable," said young medics from the Future in Bulgaria Initiative Committee. They emphasized their determination to continue pushing for healthcare reform.

The protest ended around 9 p.m. with the participants singing the Bulgarian national anthem. Assen Vassilev, Ivaylo Mirchev, and Bozhidar Bozhanov of CC-DB also sang the anthem from a stage. They called for resignation and fair elections as they addressed the crowd. They promised that if the government does not resign on Thursday, they will be back in the square and this time they will not leave. The organizers called on citizens to return home quietly and calmly and to beware of provocateurs who had mingled with the crowd.

There was strong police presence in the area. Forty people were detained, the Interior Ministry told BTA. Some of those arrested were found in possession of prohibited items, and others did not have identification documents. One of the detainees had BGN 10,000 on them and another, EUR 1,500. No incidents were reported during the demonstration.

Around 10:30 p.m., groups of people gathered on Eagles' Bridge and headed toward the headquarters of MRF - New Beginning. Part of the group overturned garbage containers and later set them on fire before pushing them toward the police cordon. Most of these people were dressed entirely in black and wore masks. As they walked, they chanted and threw firecrackers. They shouted at passersby who were filming them, "Put your phones away or we'll break them!"

Chief Commissioner Lyubomir Nikolov, Director of the Sofia Directorate of Interior, commented that the police handled around 50 to 60 individuals acting aggressively near Vrabcha Street, where the MRF - New Beginning headquarters are. He noted that this was not part of the anti-government protest held earlier in the evening. The police have identified most of the group, and their profile is that of hooligans, Nikolov specified. There have been arrests.

In Brussels, over 100 Bulgarians protested in front of the European Parliament building with chants of "Resign!" and posters against corruption in Bulgaria. The event was organized on social media. Among the protesters were Bulgarian MEPs Radan Kanev (DSB/EPP) and Nikola Minchev (CC-DB/Renew Europe). There were no speeches, and the protest was short-lived due to the lack of permission from local authorities.

In Vienna, young people organized through social networks gathered near the Vienna State Opera to express "the clear and unequivocal position of Bulgarians abroad against corruption, lack of transparency and the absence of effective reforms in public administration," according to the appeal to Bulgarians in Austria issued by the organizers of the event. "The event aims to show that the Bulgarian diaspora remains active, responsible, and in solidarity with civil society in the country." Nearly 100 people responded to the call, mainly young representatives of the Bulgarian community, carrying slogans and messages expressing their civic position against corruption and for reforms in governance, as well as their desire to return to Bulgaria after completing their education.

Global news agencies reported on the anti-government protests in Bulgaria on Wednesday evening. According to Reuters, "thousands of Bulgarians rallied on Wednesday evening against the country's minority government and what they say is its failure to tackle endemic corruption in the European Union's poorest member state." AFP reported that tens of thousands of protesters again called for the resignation of the Bulgarian cabinet. Similarly, TASS reported that tens of thousands of Bulgarians demanded the resignation of the government in street protests.

Initially, the protest movement was sparked by the government's controversial budget plans including higher taxes and social security contributions, and increased government debt, but the demands have since escalated to calls for the government to resign. Following the December 1 rally, the 2026 draft budget was withdrawn by the government despite its initial reluctance. Nonetheless, CC-DB submitted a motion of no confidence against the government which will be put to a vote on Thursday.

The government is determined to stay on and GERB leader Boyko Borissov said earlier on Wednesday that he "can talk of resignations after January 1" when Bulgaria will join the euro zone.

Delyan Peevski's MRF - New Beginning held demonstrations across the country to show support for the government.

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