Image Credit: Anadolu / Contributor / Getty 
Tensions flared in central Sofia on Wednesday evening as thousands of Bulgarians rallied against the government’s draft budget for next year, a plan critics say will saddle households and employers with punishing tax rises. What began as a large, orderly demonstration quickly turned volatile around the National Assembly, where MPs were debating the 2026 spending package.
The protest was organised by the opposition alliance “We Continue the Change–Democratic Bulgaria,” which said it brought roughly 20,000 people into the streets. Bulgaria is preparing to join the Eurozone at the start of the new year, a transition that has sharpened public scrutiny of the country’s fiscal direction.
Crowds converged on parliament shortly after 6 p.m., forming a ring around the building and blocking exits in an effort to stop lawmakers from leaving. Police reported escalating confrontations as parts of the crowd tried to force passages through security lines. Firecrackers, bottles and other projectiles were thrown at officers, and at one point a group attempted to overturn a police van before gendarmerie units pushed them back. Three officers were injured, according to the Sofia Directorate of Interior, which also said several official vehicles used by MPs were hit.
Some demonstrators accused police of deploying tear gas, though this has not been officially confirmed.
The budget at the centre of the unrest proposes major increases in social security contributions and would double the dividend tax—measures economists and professional groups warn could deepen financial pressure on employers and workers alike. Despite the hostile reception on the streets, the ruling coalition’s solid parliamentary majority means the draft is still expected to pass.
If approved, the plan would push government expenditure to nearly 46% of Bulgaria’s GDP, the highest level in the country’s recent history, financed through heavier taxation and a significant rise in public borrowing.
On Thursday, November 27th, the Bulgarian government said it will withdraw the draft budget for 2026. Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov stated that the government will seek to resume dialogue with employers and trade unions.
