Sawt Falasteen - Bulgarian government resigns after mass protests: PM

Jeliazkov's announcement came just ahead of a vote in parliament on a no-confidence motion against the government that the opposition had filed.

Tens of thousands of people took to the streets across Bulgaria on Wednesday to protest against the government and corruption in the latest rally since the end of last month.

The demonstrations were sparked by a 2026 draft budget, which protesters branded as an attempt to mask rampant corruption. The government withdrew the budget last week, but anger has persisted.

"The government resigns today," Bulgarian Prime Minister Rossen Jeliazkov told reporters after a meeting of ruling parties' leaders.

"People of all ages, ethnic backgrounds, and religions have spoken out in favour of resignation. That is why this civic energy must be supported and encouraged."

- 'Crisis' -

The European Union's poorest country is due to join the eurozone on January 1. This is expected to go ahead despite the government resigning.

Analysts say low trust in Bulgarian institutions and leaders has been compounded by concerns about prices as the country prepares to adopt the euro.

"Bulgarian society is in a situation of very broad unity against the country's model of governance," Dobromir Jeliazkov, director of the Market Links sociological agency, told AFP.

"Levels of trust in the Bulgarian government and parliament remain close to historic lows, which is yet another indicator of the severe political and institutional crisis the country is facing," he added.

Last week, President Rumen Radev declared his support for the protesters and urged the government to resign to make way for early elections.

On Wednesday, tens of thousands rallied outside the parliament building in Sofia alone, according to an AFP journalist on the scene.

Protesters chanted "Resign" and held up "I'm fed up!" signs featuring caricatures of politicians.

Shop worker Gergana Gelkova, 24, told AFP she had joined the protest because widespread corruption had become "intolerable".

Most of her friends no longer lived in Bulgaria and did not plan to return, she added.

Bulgaria is one of the lowest ranking members on watchdog Transparency International's Corruption Perception Index.

The Balkan country has seen seven snap elections following massive anti-graft protests in 2020 against the government of three-time premier Boyko Borissov.

Borissov's conservative GERB party topped the most recent election last year, forming the current coalition government in January.

I.Yassin--SF-PST