Protest Network Demands Resignation of Bulgaria's FinMin

Demonstrators protesting the proposed changes to the pension insurance contributions gathered in front of Parliament on Friday. Photo: BGNES/EPA

The Bulgarian civil society organisation Protest Network, which was behind the protests against the government of Prime Minister Plamen Oresharski, has demanded the resignation of Finance Minister Vladislav Goranov.

The protesters have also requested the initiation of public and expert discussions of the pension reforms.

Demonstrators gathered with the same demands on Friday outside the building of Parliament, protesting against the proposed changes, according to which pension insurance contributions are to be redirected from private pension funds to the State Social Insurance Institute (NOI).

Protest Network critices the practice of taking important government decisions on a random Sunday afternoon meeting, which was when the proposed changes were agreed by the government and trade unions.

In this case the legally established principle of open trilateral discussion between the government, trade unions and employers' organisations was ignored.

The protesters are not content with the changes to the budget of the State Social Insurance, which was approved by the Parliament on Friday, and demand for their cancellation.

Protest Network is opposed to the way the pension reform is carried out and demands for transparency and public dialogue.

The protesters reminded some of the promises of the Cabinet's governance programme: transparency; mechanism for civil participation; preliminary assessment of the impact of legislative and normative acts; prioritising of open governance.

Protest Network warned that ignoring civic interest would lead to escalating pressure on the government and erosion of the minimum public confidence it enjoys.

The protesters will treat refusal to fulfill these requests as a breach of the principles of transparency and civil accountability, which will lead to demands for the resignation of the whole government.

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