Citizens gathered in central Sofia on Wednesday evening to voice their anger against corruption and the concentration of political power, joining a protest under the slogan “Resistance Against Dictatorship.” The demonstration, organized by the civic group Justice for All, called for the resignation of acting Prosecutor General Borislav Sarafov, who has remained in office well beyond the six-month limit set by law, and for the removal of other officials serving in “acting” capacities.

The protest began in front of the Palace of Justice, where demonstrators displayed posters reading “Democracy is in a coma” and “Is our struggle for justice reduced to nothing more than a comfortable march?” Bulgarian and EU flags were prominently waved, and Ukrainian flags were also visible in the crowd. The demonstration then turned into a march through the city center, temporarily blocking traffic. Protesters made their way past the National Assembly and stopped in front of the headquarters of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS), now rebranded as DPS-New Beginning , where they chanted “Peevski - disgrace, resignation and jail” and “Shishi out.” The rally concluded with a blockade of Orlov Most (Eagle’s Bridge).

The organizers accused state institutions of being “captured” and turned into instruments of a criminal group allegedly led by Delyan Peevski and former Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, both of whom, they said, control power behind the scenes without formal positions in the government. According to the protesters, their influence is maintained through an acting Prosecutor General and an acting chair of the Supreme Administrative Court, in what they described as a flagrant violation of the Constitution.

Velislav Velichkov, chair of Justice for All, declared that the protest was aimed at restoring democracy and freeing the judiciary from political capture. He added that further demonstrations were planned, potentially coinciding with upcoming court hearings, including the case concerning Varna Mayor Blagomir Kotsev’s detention, which organizers say highlights how prosecutors are bending the law to achieve political goals.

The demonstration drew not only ordinary citizens but also political figures. MPs from the We Continue the Change–Democratic Bulgaria coalition (WCC-DB) were present, along with public personalities and activists. Former MP Metodi Andreev warned that “a dictatorship is being prepared in Bulgaria.” Other figures, such as Ivayla Bakalova, lawyer Ina Lulcheva, and businessman Vesselin Denkov, were also among those present.

Yes, Bulgaria co-chair Ivaylo Mirchev criticized what he described as the informal governance of the country, where key decisions are allegedly made by phone calls rather than through institutions. He argued that this undermines Bulgaria’s standing as an EU member state and announced that his party, alongside its partners, was launching a plan for resistance against the captured state. His colleague Bozhidar Bozhanov pointed to Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Zafirov’s recent visit to China as evidence of “Eastern leaning” within a government that proclaims itself Euro-Atlantic, saying this should cause “serious turbulence” within the ruling coalition.

The protesters’ message was clear: corruption, institutional paralysis, and backroom rule by entrenched political figures pose the greatest threat to Bulgaria’s democracy. Their demands targeted not only Sarafov’s resignation but also the dismantling of what they described as Peevski and Borissov’s shadow network of power.