SOFIA, Dec 11 (Reuters) – Bulgarian Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov handed in his government’s resignation on Thursday following weeks of street protests over its economic policies and its perceived failure to tackle corruption.
Zhelyazkov announced his resignation in a televised statement minutes before parliament had been due to vote on a no-confidence motion.
The resignation comes shortly before Bulgaria is due to join the euro zone on January 1.
“Our coalition met, we discussed the current situation, the challenges we face and the decisions we must responsibly make,” Zhelyazkov said, announcing the government’s decision to step down.
“Our desire is to be at the level that society expects,” he said. “Power stems from the voice of the people.”
Thousands of Bulgarians had rallied on Wednesday evening in Sofia and dozens of other towns and cities across the Black Sea nation, the latest in a series of rolling demonstrations that have underlined public frustration with endemic graft and the failure of successive governments to root it out.
Last week, Zhelyazkov’s government withdrew its 2026 budget plan, the first drafted in euros, due to the protests. Opposition parties and other organisations said they were protesting against plans to hike social security contributions and taxes on dividends to finance higher state spending.
Despite the government’s retreat over the budget plan, the protests have continued unabated in a country which has held seven national elections in the past four years – most recently in October 2024 – amid deep political and social divisions.
President Rumen Radev also called on the government earlier this week to resign. In a message to lawmakers on his Facebook page on Thursday, Radev said: “Between the voice of the people and the fear of the mafia. Listen to the public squares!”
Radev, who has limited powers under the Bulgarian constitution, will now ask the parties in parliament to try to form a new government and if – as seems likely – they are unable to do so, he will put together an interim administration to run the country until new elections can be held.
(Reporting by Ivana SekularacEditing by Gareth Jones Editing by Gareth Jones)
Disclaimer: This report is auto generated from the Reuters news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.