Bulgarian Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov announced yesterday the resignation of his government in an emergency press conference at Parliament, acknowledging “the will of the people” following massive anti-government protests over the past month, which have a 70% approval rating according to a recent poll.
Tens of thousands of Bulgarians protested not only in Sofia but across the country, accusing the government of corruption, injustice, and failures in multiple sectors. According to most estimates, the demonstrators came from a broad range of ages but included an unusually large number of young people, a demographic group that is typically not associated with active political participation in Bulgaria.
This would have been the country’s first budget calculated in euros, as Bulgaria officially adopts the currency from 1 January 2026.
This marks the sixth resignation of a Bulgarian prime minister in five years, with Zhelyazkov not even completing a full year in office. His announcement came just as Parliament was preparing to vote on an opposition no-confidence motion, which had been launched in response to the new year’s budget that would have raised taxes and social security contributions.
It would also have been the country’s first budget calculated in euros, with Bulgaria officially adopting the currency from 1 January. European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde predicted last month that the move could temporarily increase inflation.
Source: New York Times
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