Municipal crews worked through the night to clear the center of Sofia after the violent unrest that erupted late in the evening following the budget protest. Burned containers, smashed signage and scattered debris were still visible early in the morning, while the GERB office on Dondukov Boulevard remained completely wrecked and ransacked. Police vehicles were stationed along parts of Vasil Levski and Dondukov, where public transport has since resumed. Trams are again running on Dondukov, and trolleybuses have been restored on Vasil Levski.

Further reading: Paid Provocateurs Disrupt Peaceful Sofia Protest in Staged Confrontation with Police (VIDEO)

Authorities have restricted access only in the area between the Vasil Levski monument and the Sofia High School of Mathematics, as well as part of Dondukov for incoming cars. Only residents are allowed through while municipal cleaning vehicles continue sweeping the boulevard. According to the police, once all debris is removed, traffic will fully reopen. Dark scorch marks from the burned bins still cover sections of the asphalt.

The unrest ignited shortly after 10 p.m., when a group of paid provocateurs (allegedly by Peevski himself) moved toward the headquarters of DPS-New Beginning. The first clashes with police occurred there as youths threw stones, bottles and fireworks, and set waste containers on fire. One police bus was also damaged. The violence continued until midnight.

The Sofia Inspectorate has launched a full assessment of the destruction. Its director, Nikolay Nedelkov, explained that overnight rubbish collection had been halted due to the situation, and once officers allowed, crews first removed the containers from the tram tracks and cleared the waste scattered over the bicycle lanes. Mechanized cleaning of the roads began around 5:30 a.m. Damages include destroyed infrastructure, burned containers, vandalized urban environment and even harm to the tram network. Twelve separate recycling containers were confirmed burned. Today officials are expected to calculate the overall cost.

Nedelkov added that cameras throughout the center will be reviewed as part of the investigation. He noted that the protest had been authorized until 10 p.m., at which point peaceful participants dispersed, leaving behind the groups involved in the clashes. An inquiry is also underway into the power outage that affected parts of central Sofia during the height of the unrest. Some areas remained without electricity in the morning, with full restoration expected later in the day.

Energy Minister Zhecho Stankov stated that early findings indicate possible deliberate interference. Smoke was detected in an underground collector and fifteen medium-voltage lines shut down simultaneously. An inspection is ongoing, involving the Ministry of Defense, emergency teams and the Interior Ministry, all tasked with securing the site and ensuring safe conditions for the technicians working to restore supply through an alternative route.

The Ministry of Interior is expected to release details regarding arrests and police operations. The protest had started peacefully in front of parliament before turning into a march toward the DPS-New Beginning headquarters, where the first major clashes broke out. Windows at the GERB office on Dondukov were smashed, equipment was removed and later set alight outside. A police van and a fire engine were also damaged.

Further reading: Bulgaria’s Cities Fill With Tens of Thousands of Protesters in the Largest Push Yet Against Budget 2026

The WCC-DB coalition demanded the resignation of Interior Minister Daniel Mitov, accusing him of allowing provocateurs into the protest and failing to protect officers. MP Ivaylo Mirchev delivered strong criticism on Nova TV, alleging that the police had been deliberately withdrawn from key locations, thus creating space for provocateurs to escalate tensions. He pointed out that, contrary to usual practice, no officers were positioned along the route from the Bulgarian National Bank to the DPS headquarters.

Mirchev said he phoned Minister Mitov during the march but received no reaction, and when he contacted Boyko Borissov, the former prime minister appeared unaware of the unfolding events. He insisted that the absence of police around the party office had been intentional, stressing that even during minor demonstrations the area usually has a significant police presence. According to him, the decision not to secure the perimeter was aimed at discrediting what he described as the largest protest of the past thirty five years.

He also said that WCC-DB members had submitted reports about groups of 10 to 15 hooded individuals moving near the National Stadium. Mirchev visited the substation where the failure caused the blackout and claimed that the incident suggested sabotage, arguing that the facility had no history of technical problems. He called for two immediate steps: the resignation of the interior minister, whom he alleged was effectively operating under DPS-New Beginning’s influence, and the withdrawal of the 2026 budget. When asked about early elections, he said the party would announce a formal stance later, but insisted that the government lacked legitimacy.

The escalation continued throughout the evening. When the march reached the DPS-New Beginning headquarters on Vrabcha Street, masked youths mixed into the crowd. Around 9:30 p.m., the first flares, smoke bombs and objects were thrown. Trash bins were hurled toward the entrance and even Christmas decorations were damaged. Police responded with pepper spray. Witnesses described bottles and glass shattering while officers attempted to hold the line.

Shortly after 10 p.m., the focus shifted to Dondukov Boulevard, where uniformed officers formed a tight cordon and the first containers there were set ablaze. Protesters described seeing groups of masked individuals arriving specifically to provoke violence. In the chaos, motorcycle police charged at several points, leading people to scatter. Demonstrators complained of both provocations from the infiltrators and questionable decisions by police.

A gendarmerie vehicle and buses were further damaged. The nearby GERB office became a target as well; furniture and items pulled from inside were burned, and even the party flag was set alight. Many peaceful participants insisted that those involved in the vandalism did not represent the protest.

Gradually the crowd returned to the Triangle of Power, where arrests continued after midnight. Sofia Mayor Vasil Terziev told BNT that cleanup operations would begin immediately, but questioned whether the checkpoints at the entrances to the protest area had worked effectively. He emphasized that a large peaceful demonstration had been overshadowed by a coordinated group of hooded hooligans.

At the peak of the unrest, central Sofia was plunged into darkness. Electrohold confirmed that a fire inside a cable collector had triggered the automatic shutdown of 15 medium-voltage outlets supplying the area. Minister Stankov reiterated that investigators were examining possible deliberate interference, with multiple agencies now involved in the inquiry.