Bulgarian government quits amid growing austerity protests

[Redfairen]

Source: Marketplace.org

The government of Bulgaria has quit after nationwide protests against austerity measures.

After clashes between police and protesters became violent and bloody, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov submitted his resignation today in what has become the latest example of voters rising up against budget cuts and winning.

Bulgaria is the poorest country in the EU, with average monthly earnings of $550. However, it is not alone in its economic struggles and conflicts. Since the debt crisis began in Europe, governments have fallen in Spain, Greece, Portugal, Ireland and France.

"I don't think that any of these government are actually in control of their own policies," says Megan Greene of Maverick Intelligence, a consulting company which advises governments on economics and policy. "Even though the opposition will continue or increase, I don't think these goverments really have any other choice.

Read more: http://www.marketplace.org/topics/world/european-debt-crisis/bulgarian-government-quits-amid-growing-austerity-protests

[another_liberal]

1. The mega-bankers strike again!

How many more governments will have to fail before this Hoover-like obsession with screwing the poor and working classes for the benefit of a few bankers and wealthy investors has run its horrid course. No, you filthy-rich bastards, the many will not live on in poverty so you can enjoy luxury most never even dream of. The strategy of "Austerity" is a fraud, it is beyond obscene and will quickly pass.


Tax the rich and give to the needy! Anything else invites eventual disaster as surely as the Sun will rise tomorrow.

[struggle4progress]

2. After Bulgarian Protests, Prime Minister Resigns

By MATTHEW BRUNWASSER and DAN BILEFSKY
Published: February 20, 2013

Prime Minister Boiko Borisov of Bulgaria submitted his government’s resignation on Wednesday after a tumultuous week of public anger over rising electricity prices, corruption and worsening living standards that ignited mass protests nationwide and led to bloody clashes with the police on Tuesday night ...

The speaker of Parliament, Tsetska Tsacheva, said the resignation of the prime minister and his cabinet would not be effective until Parliament put it to a vote on Thursday. Since Mr. Borisov controls Parliament, acceptance would seem assured.

The protests — the biggest in at least 15 years — were set off by electricity price increases and corruption scandals, including one over the nominee to head the state electricity regulatory commission, which sets rates. She was accused of selling cigarettes illegally online and her nomination was later withdrawn.

Tempers were inflamed further when Bulgaria’s finance minister, Simeon Djankov, the architect of painful fiscal probity, stepped down on Monday. Rather than allaying anger, analysts said, the resignation was greeted by the public as an admission that the government’s economic policies had not worked ...

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/21/world/europe/bulgarian-government-is-reported-set-to-resign.html?_r=0