SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Tens of thousands of people on Thursday filled the streets of Bulgaria’s capital and other major cities in the country, calling for a fair election and an independent judiciary able to effectively fight widespread corruption.
The demonstrations in Sofia and elsewhere came after last week’s protests sparked by the government’s budget plans for higher taxes and spending increases. The government later withdrew the contentious 2026 budget plan, but eventually bowed to people’s demands and stepped down.
kAm%96 =2E6DE 56G6=@A>6?ED 2C6 =62G:?8 E96 tFC@A62? &?:@? >6>36C 4@F?ECJ H:E9@FE 2 3F586E 7@C ?6IE J62C 2?5 H:E9@FE 2 C68F=2C 8@G6C?>6?E[ ;FDE 367@C6 qF=82C:2 😀 D6E E@ ;@:? E96 6FC@K@?6]k^Am
kAm}@H[ !C6D:56?E #F>6? #256G 😀 6IA64E65 E@ 2AA@:?E 2 42C6E2<6C 8@G6C?>6?E 2?5 D6E E96 52E6 7@C E96 ?6IE 62C=J G@E6 — E96 6:89E9 D:?46 a_a`]k^Am
kAm~? %9FCD52J[ A6@A=6 :?D:DE65 @? 72:C 2?5 7C66 6=64E:@?D C2E96C E92? A@==D 4@>AC@>:D65 3J G@E6 >2?:AF=2E:@?[ G@E6\3FJ:?8 2?5 72=D:7:42E:@? @7 6=64E:@? C6DF=ED 2D 😕 E96 AC6G:@FD 42>A2:8?]k^Am
kAmpE E96 4@C6 @7 E96 AC@E6DE6CD’ 7CFDEC2E:@?D 😀 E96 C@=6 @7 qF=82C:2? A@=:E:4:2? 2?5 @=:82C49 s6=J2? !66GD<:[ H9@ 92D 366? D2?4E:@?65 3J 3@E9 E96 &?:E65 $E2E6D 2?5 E96 &?:E65 z:?85@>[ 2?5 H9@D6 |#u }6H q68:??:?8 A2CEJ 324<65 E96 @FE8@:?8 4@2=:E:@? =65 3J E96 vt#q A2CEJ @7 7@C>6C !C:>6 |:?:DE6C q@J<@ q@C:DD@G]k^Am
kAm%96 q2=<2? 4@F?ECJ @7 e]c >:==:@? A6@A=6 😀 5F6 E@ >2<6 E96 DH:E49 7C@> :ED ?2E:@?2= 4FCC6?4J[ E96 =6G[ E@ E96 6FC@ @? y2?] `[ E@ 364@>6 E96 6FC@K@?6’D a`DE >6>36C] qF=82C:2 ;@:?65 E96 t& 😕 a__f]k^Am
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.