Bulgaria’s opposition GERB seeks no-confidence motion against government
GERB, the largest opposition group in Bulgaria’s Parliament, is seeking signatures for a motion of no confidence in the country’s government, GERB deputy leader Tomislav Donchev told a news conference.
The GERB move comes as the ruling coalition has shed the support of cable television presenter Slavi Trifonov’s ITN party, which Trifonov said was leaving the governing coalition over issues such as policies on North Macedonia. Defectors from Trifonov’s party have dismissed this as a lie, saying that ITN was withdrawing because other governing coalition partners had refused to favour the business interests that ITN sought to serve.
Donchev told a news conference that GERB was seeking support for a no-confidence motion on the grounds of the government’s failure in the areas of public finance and economic policy.
“However, the most tangible is the failure in public finances and the economy. Every Bulgarian citizen can feel it in their pockets,” Donchev said.
Donchev said that in the governing coalition, relations are regulated by threats, extortion and pressure, and support is provided through bargaining.
“This grief must end,” Donchev said, adding that this chapter of Bulgaria’s political history will be disgraceful.
“The only thing we can do is to keep this chapter short,” Donchev said.
He said that additional arguments in favour of a no-confidence motion included galloping inflation, failure to compensate the private sector, and “inexplicable” rises in petrol prices.
“This government will be remembered as thieving, lobbying and corrupt,” Donchev said.
The move came after Trifonov said that his ITN was quitting the ruling coalition, leaving it with 109 MPs in the 240-seat National Assembly.
Thus far, five ITN MPs have defected from Trifonov’s group, leaving the ruling coalition in a quest to recruit seven more MPs to secure a majority in Parliament.
Please support The Sofia Globe by clicking on the orange button below to sign up to become a patron on patreon.com.
For as little as three euro a month or the equivalent in other currencies, becoming a patron means supporting independent journalism, and getting access to exclusive content:
