Bulgaria's government quits after violent demonstrations
Wednesday 20 February 2013
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EmailBulgaria's government heeded the people's will today, resigning en masse.
Tens of thousands have hit the streets since Sunday in protests fuelled by rising energy costs, corruption and an abysmal economy.
And just hours after violent clashes in Bulgarian capital Sofia on Tuesday night left 15 protesters injured, Prime Minister Boiko Borisov (pictured) said his cabinet would quit.
He told MPs: "Our power was handed to us by the people, today we are handing it back to them."
The resignation will be voted on tomorrow and - if approved, which seems likely - elections will probably be held in April or May.
The centre-right government won elections in 2009, but has been steadily losing support since in the face of rising energy prices and the lowest wages in the EU - just 768 levs (£343) a month.
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