"Bulgaria's government has resigned following weeks of street protests against its economic policies and its perceived failure to tackle corruption. Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov announced the resignation of his cabinet in a televised statement on Thursday, minutes before parliament had been due to vote on a no-confidence motion. The resignation comes weeks before Bulgaria is due to join the eurozone on January 1."
"Thousands of Bulgarians 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 corruption 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 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 that has held seven national elections in the past four years most recently in October 2024 amid deep political and social divisions."
The government resigned after sustained street protests over economic policies and perceived failures to tackle corruption. The prime minister announced the cabinet's resignation minutes before a scheduled parliamentary no-confidence vote. The resignation occurs weeks before Bulgaria is due to adopt the euro on January 1. Mass demonstrations spread across Sofia and dozens of other towns, reflecting public frustration with corruption and successive governments. The government withdrew its 2026 budget plan, drafted in euros, amid protests opposing higher social security contributions and dividend taxes. The country has held seven national elections in four years, and the president called for the government to resign.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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