The government of Bulgarian Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov has resigned after protesters took to the streets in cities across the country, filling the centre of the capital Sofia on Wednesday night.
Zhelyazkov's dramatic move came ahead of a vote of no confidence in parliament, and just 20 days before Bulgaria joins the euro.
Protesters accused his minority centre-right government, in power since January, of widespread corruption. The government had already scrapped a controversial budget plan in response to earlier demonstrations.
We hear the voice of citizens protesting against the government, Zhelyazkov stated during a televised address.
He further acknowledged that both young and old citizens expressed their desire for the government's resignation, adding that this civic energy needed support.
Between 50,000 and 100,000 people participated in the protests at Sofia's central Triangle of Power and Independence Square, with slogans such as Resignation and Mafia Out projected onto the parliament building.
Support for the protesters has also come from President Rumen Radev, who has urged the government to stand down.
Zhelyazkov's government, having previously survived five votes of no confidence, was expected to face another on Thursday.
Anger among protesters has been directed towards oligarch Delyan Peevski and ex-prime minister Boyko Borissov, particularly concerning Peevski's sanctioned involvement in corruption and Borissov's role in the Gerb party, which led the government during previous turmoil.
Despite the political upheaval, Bulgaria's upcoming eurozone accession appears not to be at risk. In his resignation statement, Zhelyazkov acknowledged the need for authentic proposals from citizens about the structure of a new government.
Bulgaria consistently ranks low in Europe regarding public sector corruption, standing between Hungary and Romania in Transparency International's index.
