Clashes erupt as anti-Euro protesters attempt to storm EU mission in Bulgaria

“If there is no referendum, we will block the work of the National Assembly,” said Kostadinov, whose party is the third largest in parliament. Bulgaria, which joined the EU in 2007, has been plagued by political instability over the last several years. The new government, which was formed last month, has made eurozone membership a key priority.

Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov has announced that the 2025 state budget will project a deficit of around 3%, setting the stage for the introduction of the euro on January 1, 2026. However, the country must still meet an adjusted inflation target before its euro adoption can be reviewed.

The government condemned the assault on the EU buildings, declaring in a statement that such attacks "are unacceptable and go against the principles of the rule of law." The protests initially started in front of the European Union country's central bank, where demonstrators burned effigies of European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde and other officials.

Reuter reported that approximately 10 officers suffered minor injuries, and around six individuals were detained following the protest

Firefighters were dispatched to the scene as well as police reinforcements, who pushed back the protesters. Police said that several demonstrators had been arrested, while some officers had been injured during the clashes.

The protest, organized by the pro-Russia nationalists of the Vazrazhdane party, began earlier on Saturday outside the headquarters of the Bulgarian National Bank. "I am here to defend Bulgaria and the Bulgarian people," Vazrazhdane leader Kostadin Kostadinov told journalists.

Anti-government protesters in Sofia, chanting "Resignation" and "No to the Euro," clashed with police as they threw red paint, firecrackers, and Molotov cocktails at the European Union building. The protestors set the front door on fire before authorities intervened, pushing them back.

Thousands of supporters of Bulgaria's ultra-nationalist Revival party clashed with police on Saturday as they attempted to breach the European Union mission building, protesting the country's plans to adopt the Euro next year.