[Bulgaria] Protests: Peaceful protest

Summary

Single-source ACLED detection — awaiting independent verification. On April 9, 2025, restaurant industry employees and managers reportedly held peaceful protests in Varna, Bulgaria, demanding the government maintain coronavirus-era VAT rates at 9% rather than allowing increases up to 20%. The protests reflect concerns about potential profit impacts from higher taxation on the hospitality sector.

Supply chain impact

No commodities or chokepoints are directly mapped to this event; second-order effects depend on how the situation escalates and whether similar protests spread to other economic sectors or regions within Bulgaria.

Watch points

• Monitor whether protests expand beyond the restaurant industry to other sectors facing similar tax pressure
• Track government response and any policy adjustments to VAT rates that could signal broader economic policy shifts