Energy costs, corruption and economic decline fuel Bulgaria protests as govt quits
Bulgaria’s government has resigned after days of violent protests fuelled by outrage over rising energy costs, corruption and a general economic decline.
Tens of thousands of Bulgarians had turned out in cities across the nation of 7.3 million people since Sunday in protests. They accused their leaders of having ties to crime and demanded that the government resign. Many chanted “Mafia!”
The worst of the violence came late on Tuesday in Sofia, the capital, when protesters clashed with police in riot gear, leaving 15 people injured.
Just hours later, the centre-right government of prime minister Boiko Borisov said it would heed the will of the people.
“Our power was handed to us by the people, today we are handing it back to them,” Mr Borisov said before formally submitting the resignation of his cabinet.
Parliament speaker Tsetska Tsacheva said MPs will vote on the resignation tomorrow, although that appears to be largely a formality.
The move comes after the government lost public support in the wake of the country’s worst economic downturn in a decade and ahead of general elections in July. The resignation means that early elections will be likely be held in April or May.
Tens of thousands of protesters across the country hit the streets over the weekend to protest at rising electricity and heating bills. Some threw eggs and tomatoes at government buildings in Sofia.
Some also burned their utility bills in public, accusing the government of failing to improve their falling living standards and demanding the expulsion of the three foreign-controlled power distributors that control the local market: CEZ and Energo-Pro from the Czech Republic, and Austria’s EVN.
Many Bulgarians feel squeezed by low wages – the lowest in the EU at around £400 monthly – and prices that keep going up. Many say they feel betrayed by their leaders and by promises joining the EU in 2007 would bring a better life.
