Bulgaria’s young generation shows it is ready to fight for its civil rights

Protest of the young. Gen Z against the veterans. The youth raised their voice against the status quo - these are just some of the headlines in the Bulgarian media describing the events in Bulgaria since November 26. Generation Z  - people born between 1997 and 2012 - who are not burdened by the submissive mindset of their grandparents. These are the young people who accompanied their parents to other, just as different yet similar, protests years ago in the struggle for democracy, independence, and equality before the law in their European homeland. They became the face of civil discontent on November 26 and December 1, triggered by the government’s proposed state budget for 2026 - Bulgaria’s first budget in euros. The awakened discontent, however, grew into outrage against the status quo and the long-standing lack of rule of law in the country.

• Thousands go out on protest in Sofia and major cities across Bulgaria
• Bulgaria after the protests – cabinet withdraws budget, citizens demand values

What the media in Bulgaria failed to show were those young people who expressed their position beyond the country’s borders - young Bulgarians abroad who also have a voice and want to make it heard.

One of these young people is David Radoslavov from Sofia. He is only 18, a freshman at the University of Vienna, majoring in International Law, who also went to the square on December 1 at 6 p.m. to express his civic position on the events. He did so 1,000 km away from his home - at Stefansplatz in central Vienna - where the largest protest action abroad took place, in sync with events in Bulgaria.

“The protest, in my personal view, was the most peaceful I have ever attended; and I have been attending protests with my parents since 2013. Positive energy and an extremely good message were sent by the Bulgarian community in Austria to Bulgarians in Bulgaria. For the moment, if I am not mistaken, this is the only larger protest and demonstration among all Bulgarians abroad. I heard there were some in Frankfurt and London, but they were more individual initiatives. We gathered around 120 people, including foreigners who supported us - Austrian, Ukrainian, Georgian citizens and others. Basically all citizens who support the cause of Bulgaria to be a democratic and lawful state.”

David was not only present - he organized the demonstration together with Tsvetomir Patarinski. The decision was spontaneous. After the November 26 protest in Bulgaria and the cabinet’s refusal to withdraw Budget 2026, they expected someone else from the Bulgarian community in Austria to organize such a demonstration. When that did not happen, David took matters into his own hands - within a few days he applied for and received the necessary permission and announced a protest in defense of “Bulgarians in their own country, for their voice to be heard and the budget to be withdrawn. To stop the corruption and the captured state from continuing to ruin people’s lives.”

He stresses that he is non-partisan and not financially supported by any political formation in Bulgaria. “This was driven solely by my civic stance,” the young Bulgarian told Radio Bulgaria.

“Our first message was to withdraw this shameful budget, which by all economic, political and social criteria is absolutely inadequate. Our other demand was to oppose the corruption that has taken over the state; to stop people from imposing more and more of this mafia-corrupt model that feeds them and their party structures; to stop being governed by people who think only of private interests and not of Bulgarian citizens; and to show that Bulgarians abroad are here - just as involved as Bulgarians in Bulgaria. We have no excuse not to take to the squares in the center of Europe and other cities to express our civic position, to support the Bulgarian state the way Georgians, Ukrainians and all nations protest abroad for their rights, European development and democratic values.”

The participants in the demonstration in central Vienna showed that the Bulgarian people have a future and that Bulgaria is not a lost cause, David wrote on Facebook on the night of December 1.

“Personally, like all other students and Bulgarians in Austria, I want to see a Bulgaria where incomes are European; where laws are observed; where corruption is not encouraged but punished strictly; where the rule of law and justice cannot be undermined; where people are not afraid to express their civic position, to have one and defend it; where the media are not controlled - where there is freedom of speech; a Bulgaria we are proud of and feel free and independent to live in!”

Pride - this is the feeling David experienced seeing the crowds in the squares in Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna and other Bulgarian cities on December 1.

“I feel extremely proud of these people, and happy that these people are in Bulgaria, wanting to fight for their future and impose change themselves, not wait for someone else to impose it,” the young man admits.

“I would like to use your platform to state to all politicians in Bulgaria - and to many others who sadly think similarly - that the young generation in Bulgaria is not only aware of political processes; the young generation has already shown it is ready to set the tone in the political space. My generation, Generation Z, has shown it is ready to fight for its civil rights, defend them and will not allow anyone to mock the democratic and legal foundations of the state. Every single person at the protest in Vienna came with their personal civic stance - I spoke to each of them. People in Bulgaria must have a chance to determine their future. Political parties have already exhausted themselves and are afraid of us. If Boyko Borissov or Delyan Peevski - or anyone else from the governing coalition - had come out among the people, I assure you he would not be saying the things he dares to say in the corridors of parliament.”

David is skeptical that a possible vote of no confidence in the government will pass in the National Assembly, but says he is ready to organize a new protest in Vienna in its support - because the voice of young Bulgarians must be heard, no matter where they are at the moment.

English version: R. Petkova