Day two of Bulgarian anti-government protests!

SOFIA, Bulgaria - April 6, 2009 - Thousands of Bulgarians renewed calls for the government to resign over corruption and a host of economic problems, including a cut-off in gas supplies, in a second day of protests on Thursday.

Police deployed in large numbers in front of Parliament to try to prevent a repeat of Wednesday’s unrest in which rioters, including students and farmers, clashed with police and smashed windows in some of the worst violence in Sofia in 12 years.

"We want the government to step down," said student Adriana Ivanova, 23, one of the protest organizers. "We want a better life in Bulgaria and we are ready to keep rallying until we see a change."

Many Bulgarians say they are fed up with the quality of life in the Balkan country of 7.6 million, which has the lowest GDP per capita in the European Union.

Much anger has been directed at the government’s failure to stamp out endemic graft and organized crime, and its delay in pushing through reforms to cushion the impact of the global financial crisis.

A gas row between Russia and Ukraine, which has stopped flows to Bulgaria, has added to the discontent that analysts say is likely to grow before this year’s parliamentary election.

"The average Bulgarian is in a very difficult situation because he has a very low income and almost no savings . . . " said Ognyan Chipev, a 53-year-old engineer. "The government kept saying we shouldn’t worry . . . This was frivolous and irresponsible," he added.

Anger over the authorities’ handling of the global economic slowdown has also sparked riots in Latvia, Iceland and Russia.

Students, farmers and green activists have threatened to hold more rallies in the coming weeks. Police are planning to protest over low salaries and poor work conditions on Saturday.