"Ma'am, look, something is happening", a toddler tells me and hands me a sticker against corruption and Delyan Peevski. In the crowd around the parliament building, one can barely pass by. The focus of this protest was the young, but in fact there were people of all ages at it. From the smallest toddlers on their parents' shoulders to pensioners. "I didn't believe so many people would gather", one policeman says to another on one of the small streets near the square.
The goal is one - "Independence" Square
Even in the late afternoon, it seems as if everyone who has taken to the streets of Sofia is walking in the same direction - towards "Independence" Square. It is also felt in the capital's public transport - at the metro stations, people are barely gathering on the platforms, some are unable to get on the trains traveling to the center. Men and women carrying Bulgarian and European flags get off the ground transport at the stops in the center. Others get off at the next possible stop, so as not to create a crowd, and also head towards the National Assembly.
The protest begins extremely excitedly. Laughs with "Who will give us money?", montages of speeches by Boyko Borisov, Peevski and news broadcasts explaining the 2026 budget proposal and lots of music provided by Hot Pop - the nightclubs will remain empty today, their visitors have more important things to do.
"And have they let them in?"
By 7:00 PM, it becomes clear that the checkpoints set up by the police cannot function. There are too many people. In some places, people pass freely or with a glance from the law enforcement agencies. However, on "Batenberg" Square, the police line completely blocks those coming from "Tsar Osvoboditel" Blvd. - everyone must pass a check. Many of them are thoroughly checked. At the same time, young people with black jackets, masks and aggressive behavior calmly pass through the so-called. checkpoint. Some people near the police line wonder: "Did they let these people in?".
This group can be heard and seen on "Nezavisimost" Square. Vasil Bozhkov also walks past it, shaking hands with some of the boys, while the other protesters keep their distance."I'm fed up, these people are everywhere, can't they just go away", says a woman trying to get her child away from a group of boys wearing jackets branded "Long and Honest".
For many, this is the first protest. "I saw that many more of my friends were coming to the protest and I felt that there was energy and I wanted to be part of it", Sofia, a medical student, tells us. She doesn't want much - just motivation to stay in Bulgaria. "It is very important for me to stay here and help, but at this stage I am not sure that the conditions will allow me to do so", she adds.
Each of the protesters has their own cause - some are talking about the budget, others about education and healthcare, others want nothing more than "Boyko and Peevski to go away", as Vasil explains to us.
Towards Peevski's headquarters
By 8:00 PM, the number of people is increasing, but the protest seems to be losing its energy. The National Assembly building is empty, those against whom the anger is directed are comfortably staying in their homes. It is time to move. Those who were closer to the stage in front of the entrance to the National Assembly have understood that the protest will move. People are starting to move, those further back do not know where. "Protest!", someone shouts over the crowd and it gradually moves away. "Bravo, we are with you!", shouts the owner of a grocery store, past whom the procession passes. An elderly woman kicks a crooked yellow paving stone on "Tsar Osvoboditel" Blvd. She complains about "Fandakova's terrible repairs" and says that is why she is on the street.
It becomes clear that the protest is headed to the headquarters of "DPS - Novo nacholo". "Delyan Peevski wants to turn our country into a completely un-European one," says Petar. "I don't want such a country. And no one from my generation wants such a country," he adds, while around him they chant "Shishi, out".
From outrage to understanding
It was in front of the headquarters of "DPS - Novo nacholu" that the first provocations occurred. While part of the procession had set off towards the headquarters of GERB, voices began to be heard: "They have cut off the electricity in the center, there will probably be provocations". Some of the people started to return to "Vrabcha" Str. At the same time, others were just arriving at the scene. The police there were deployed ineffectively - large groups were clustered in the alleys around the "Vrabcha" and "Vasil Levski" buildings, while no more than 20-30 people were subjected to a volley of bottles and firecrackers. Against the backdrop of the thousands who occupied the space from the "Levski" monument to the intersection with "Dondukov", those who escalated the tension were few. But they were the most vocal. And they are given the most serious attention by the major media.
The locals argue. Some say: "Stop it now! They will accuse everyone of participating in this", others are confident: "Well, it obviously won't happen any other way."
The protesters start running several times, because they expect a police assault. Then they turn back. During another similar zig-zag, we talk to a policeman. "I won't tear anything up. Half of my acquaintances are here at the protest", he tells us.
"Today's protest can't be peaceful"
The GERB office on "Dondukov" Boulevard has been destroyed - the shop windows have been broken, the chairs have been taken out. "Today's protest cannot be peaceful", Simeon commented. "I'm not a big fan of these things, but it can't be done without them". According to him, the footage of the climbing policeman, as well as the reactions of the politicians, brought people to the streets and led to the escalation of tension. While containers are burning on the corner of "Vasil Levski" Blvd. and "Dondukov" Blvd., further back some of the people on the street are the same as those who were in front of the National Assembly. The aggressive men in black jackets are also there, but they are not the only ones who have remained at the epicenter of the events.
When a really large number of police officers finally appear, they gradually push the people out of "Dondukov" Blvd., which remains empty. But the smell of smoke and tear gas is still in the air. There are also the overturned buckets that people were collecting a few hours earlier, and then others were overturning them again, two trams that also suffered damage. A police car passes through the bicycle lane dividers on the boulevard, which is otherwise completely empty. "Is that why I was on the pavement in 1997, I didn't fight for this", says an elderly man, among the last people left on the empty boulevard. "They shouldn't be able to enter the parliament, we should be there every day. Who are they to claim that everything is theirs? Who is this Peevski?"
The next day, the government announced that it was withdrawing the budget. But it has long been about more than just the budget.
Authors: Alexander Detev | Mina Kirkova