Bulgaria’s President Rumen Radev has said the government’s resignation is “inevitable” and called for early elections following mass protests over budget policies and allegations of corruption.
In a televised address, Radev accused the ruling coalition of losing public trust and failing to deliver meaningful change.
“Bulgaria needs genuine reform to restore state institutions, which the current government cannot provide,” he said.
The president described recent demonstrations as spanning all generations, arguing they reflected broader frustration with corruption, political inaction, and abuse of power rather than just the draft budget.
Radev criticised the coalition as divisive and unprincipled, warning that attempts to hijack the protest movement would undermine public confidence. He urged citizens to unite and take advantage of a “historic opportunity” for renewal.
Concluding, Radev stressed the need for radical reforms to rebuild trust in governance and the rule of law — reforms he argued the current administration is incapable of delivering.
The comment comes after thousands of people rallied in the Bulgarian capital Sofia and several other cities on Monday (December 1), protesting against the 2026 budget plan, the first drafted in euros before the European Union-member country adopts the common currency on 1 January.
Some protesters and police clashed, with police cordoning off offices of the ruling parties in Sofia
On 28 November, following similar protests, the minority government of Rosen Zhelyazkov pledged it would resubmit the 2026 spending plan to parliament, aiming to allow more time for consultations with opposition parties, trade unions and employers.
A parliamentary committee had adopted the budget plan on a first reading on 18 November.
Opposition parties and other organisations say they were protesting against the government's plans to hike social security contributions and taxes on dividends to finance higher spending, as well as state corruption
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A former estate of drug lord Pablo Escobar, now a wildlife park in Colombia, has marked Christmas by setting animals festive feeding challenges designed to boost their mental and physical health.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 12th of December, covering the latest developments you need to know.
NATO's Secretary-General urged European leaders to step up defence efforts to prevent a war waged by Russia, that could be "on the scale of war our grandparents and great-grandparents endured".
Japan has lifted a tsunami advisory issued after an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.9 hit the country's northeastern region on Friday (12 December), the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said. The JMA had earlier put the earthquake's preliminary magnitude at 6.7.
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