Thousands rally against 'shady' Bulgarian budget

SOFIA

Several thousand rallied in front of the Bulgarian parliament on Nov. 26 against a draft 2026 budget that protesters say is an attempt to mask widespread corruption.

Demonstrators surrounded the building in the capital Sofia to prevent lawmakers from leaving, calling on "mafia" politicians to resign while holding signs bearing the legend "No to shady deals."

The proposal includes tax hikes and increases for public sector salaries, but critics say the institutions managing Bulgaria's public finances are so corrupt that these measures will only entrench corruption.

"In my opinion, these funds will be used to buy votes," protester Maria Sirakova, 50, told AFP.

Her fellow demonstrator, law student Ivana Ivanova, argued that the proposal would "only restrict the private sector's willingness to invest."

"We chose to stay in Bulgaria, but not in a Bulgaria of dubious dealings," the 20-year-old added.

While organized by the pro-European CC/BD alliance, the rally also garnered support from the far right and pro-Russian movements.

Parliament is expected to approve the draft in the first week of December.

With Bulgaria joining the eurozone on Jan. 1, the budget will be the country's first calculated in euros.

When presenting the proposal, Bulgaria's broad coalition government insisted its "priority" was to "ensure the long-term durability of the public finances" in the European Union's poorest country.

According to the Transparency International watchdog's Corruption Perception Index, Bulgaria ranks as among the most corrupt EU member states, along with Hungary and Romania.