Why are people protesting in Bulgaria?

Public sector wage rose 14% first three quarters of 2025 compared to 11% private sector.

New budget proposals would increase mandatory tax on the working class to 44% and eventually to 46%.

Over 530,000 pensioners have a pension less that $378.

"If we don't get a contract by Friday, we will start negotiations on Monday, and we will get gas from another party. We have secured the money," - Vucic said at a press conference.

Vučić also stated payment for NIS workers will go ahead this week until Friday. Such a move risks secondary sanctions on Serbian financial institutions.

The United States rejected Serbia's request to continue crude oil supplies to the Pančevo refinery.

Scenes from Monday in Sofia, Bulgaria

Comment from a Bulgarian reader:

"That's a complete joke, guys. This is not a protest. I know so many people who are actually paid to be there, and all the troublemakers were paid very well to cause the damage they did. We're protesting the budget, but just like the last 30 budgets before this one, it will likely be passed on December 25th in an emergency cabinet meeting, while the population is drunk and celebrating Christmas."

Bulgaria Bros - don't get drunk on Christmas this year!

Same reader from Bulgaria on what needs to change:

"Bro, the only solution for Bulgaria is not a mass protest, is a fucking bloody revolution and the heads of all government officials from the last 30 years be put on a spike on National Assembly Square in Sofia.
Nothing less will help"

If you're from Bulgaria - do you agree?

Let's speed run through some key players in Bulgaria and why such sentiment exists:

Boyko Borisov, Bulgaria’s longtime prime minister and leader of GERB, has been dogged for years by allegations of entrenched corruption, state capture, and ties to organized crime figures from his early career in security services. Critics accuse him of overseeing a government that systematically misused EU funds, rigged public tenders, and protected oligarchic interests. In 2022, he was briefly detained during an investigation into the misuse of European Union financial aid — though later released without charges due to insufficient evidence. Photos, recordings, and testimonies have repeatedly surfaced in the media alleging bribery, influence-peddling, and abuse of power, though none have resulted in conviction. Whether proven or not, Borisov is viewed by many Bulgarians as the symbol of the country’s deeply rooted corruption.

Delyan Peevski, a powerful media mogul and longtime MP with the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS), is one of Bulgaria’s most controversial public figures. He was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury under the Global Magnitsky Act for “extensive corruption,” including allegations of bribery, influence over judicial appointments, and manipulating government decisions through a network of loyal intermediaries. Peevski’s dominance in Bulgarian media has also drawn criticism for suppressing press freedom and shaping narratives favorable to political allies. Because of his ability to influence courts, elections, and political negotiations, critics frequently cite him as a key architect of Bulgaria’s so-called “state capture.” Although he has never been convicted in Bulgarian courts, international sanctions and domestic investigations have made his political role extremely contentious.