Nearly Seven Hours of Demonstrations Over Bulgaria’s Move to the Euro Spark Calls for Government Resignation

Today, a demonstration against Bulgaria’s entry into the eurozone took place near the National Assembly and the Bulgarian National Bank, lasting nearly seven hours. The protest, organized by the parties “Revival,” “Greatness,” and MECH, blocked the area with police presence. Protesters gathered in front of the Council of Ministers, where officials were expected to present the convergence reports. The organizers stressed that the crowd’s decision to stay was a spontaneous initiative.

Another protest is planned for Sunday, this time demanding the resignation of the government. Earlier, “Revival” leader Kostadin Kostadinov urged Bulgarians to join the protest and warned they would physically block European commissioners visiting Bulgaria.

By mid-afternoon, protesters aimed to prevent deputies from leaving the parliamentary plenary hall, surrounding entrances, mainly from the side of the Bulgarian National Bank. Police had closed Dondukov Boulevard and access routes early in the day, forcing protesters to concentrate in one area, where they chanted “Resign!”

Many noted the timing of the convergence report announcement coinciding with the 145th anniversary of the Bulgarian lev, established on June 4, 1880, as a symbolic day to mint coins. Protesters interpreted this coincidence as a betrayal of the national currency. They also voiced concerns that Bulgaria’s rapid move to adopt the euro might be driven by financial pressures related to the military industry and defense, as well as the need to support other struggling countries.

During the protest, deputies from “Revival” occupied the parliamentary rostrum after Kostadinov’s call. Speaking from the rostrum, he declared the day a “black day for Bulgaria,” accusing what he called “Janissaries” of destroying the country with a sinister smile. He called on his party colleagues and deputies from other forces to join and halt the National Assembly’s work, emphasizing they would no longer tolerate being humiliated or told what to do by outsiders.

The Speaker of the National Assembly, Natalia Kiselova, responded by reprimanding Kostadinov for interrupting the session, which was discussing amendments to the law on combating terrorism financing.

In contrast, Rumen Hristov, leader of the Union of Democratic Forces (SDS) and part of the GERB-SDS coalition, expressed confidence to Bulgarian National Radio that the protests against the euro would be suppressed. He linked the protests not only to “Revival” but also to other pro-Russian parties and the president, suggesting their opposition stemmed from the hope that, once Bulgaria joins the eurozone and the war in Ukraine ends, the government would face less criticism.

Hristov stressed the importance of a stable government for the preparations related to adopting the euro, underlining the need for clear information to reassure a society unsettled by the apocalyptic warnings from these opposing parties. He framed the euro adoption as the culmination of years of work by pro-European governments, employers, unions, NGOs, and experts, who have proven Bulgaria’s readiness to join the eurozone, meeting all the nominal criteria and legislative requirements imposed by the EU.