World media commented on the anti-government protests in Bulgaria last night, noting that tens of thousands of people in the capital Sofia and other cities participated in the latest protests against the government, BTA reported.
"Tens of thousands joined the latest mass protests across Bulgaria yesterday, accusing the government of widespread corruption, highlighting political divisions just weeks before the country joins the eurozone," writes the American newspaper "Washington Post“.
Last night's demonstrations followed last week's protests, which were sparked by the government's plans to increase taxes, social security contributions and spending, the publication states.
After the first protest The government withdrew the controversial 2026 budget, but protesters have expanded the scope of their demands and are now calling for the resignation of the center-right government of Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov, the American capital's newspaper notes.
At the heart of the protesters' dissatisfaction is the role of Bulgarian politician Delyan Peevski, who is sanctioned by both the US and the UK, and whose party "DPS - New Beginning" supports the government, the American television "ABC News" indicates. Peevski is accused by his opponents of participating in the formation of government policy that serves his oligarchic interests, the American media outlet notes.
"The country's impending accession to the eurozone should be a cause for celebration, but instead it has revealed growing discontent, especially among younger Bulgarians, because even though Bulgaria joined the EU many years ago, the situation with the rule of law is not improving", commented "Bloomberg“.
Admitting the poorest country in the EU to the eurozone before it has met basic requirements such as the rule of law is a move that opponents of enlargement are ready to take advantage of, the media outlet emphasizes. According to her, this could harm the bloc's entire geopolitical strategy, since Ukraine's possible membership is of fundamental importance for restoring stability on its eastern borders.
The thirst for a political alternative in Bulgaria is extremely strong, continues “Bloomberg“. The country has held seven early elections in the past four years, but they have never managed to produce a stable governing majority. Years of political instability have undermined Bulgaria's fiscal discipline, as politicians push for increased spending in an attempt to win over voters, the media outlet notes.
Zhelyazkov presents the adoption of the euro as one of the government's main achievements, although a July poll showed that almost half of Bulgarians oppose the move, Bloomberg notes.
The events of the past ten days have revealed a deepening gap between the ruling parties and young people, Deutsche Welle writes.
Generation Z is the first generation in Bulgaria that has no personal memories of either the communist regime that ruled the country from 1944 to 1989 or the hyperinflationary crisis of the late 1990s, the media outlet notes. "In a country where voter turnout barely reached 39% in the last parliamentary elections, young people now seem to be increasingly engaged in politics since the start of mass protests. They have a variety of demands - from better healthcare to better job opportunities", "Deutsche Welle" notes.
"One peculiarity of the protests is that online influencers on social networks often replace traditional media for young protesters, as they are better able to communicate in the universal language of the "Z" generation, which includes a large dose of unfiltered humor", "Deutsche Welle" points out.
Protest songs directed against Peevski, edited clips of opposition leaders shouting "Who ordered this outrage?" during a hearing of the budget committee, and posters with inscriptions such as "Take your girlfriend to a protest meeting" help to mix politics and pop culture, the German media emphasizes.
The government is trying to downplay the protests and call them anti-European, but the protesters reject this accusation and insist that the demonstrations unite people from across the political spectrum who are demanding the resignation of the government, summarizes „Deutsche Welle“.