Bulgaria: the government overthrown by a vote of no confidence

The text was adopted by 123 of the 240 deputies, while 116 voted against, one being also absent, announced the Deputy Speaker of Parliament Miroslav Ivanov.

Now hangs the risk of a spiral of elections over this Balkan country of 6.5 million inhabitants, the poorest in the European Union.

The Bulgarians have already lived through three legislative elections last year, until the sensational entry into politics of the pro-European liberal Petkov, a graduate of Harvard University determined to wipe the slate clean of corruption after a decade of reign of the controversial Boïko Borisov.

But the motley coalition formed in December split: at the beginning of June, it lost the support of the anti-system party There are such people (ITP).

In opposition, the Gerb, the conservative party of Mr. Borissov, rushed into the breach and tabled a motion pointing the failure of the government’s economic and financial policyin a context of soaring prices.

It was an honor for me to drive such a government, reacted Mr. Petkov. This vote is a small step on a long roadhe added, promising to continue the battle.

The Prime Minister had come to power with the hope of turn Bulgaria into a normal, successful, mafia-free European countrybut the war in Ukraine has upset its agenda.

The shadow of Moscow

In this country traditionally close to Moscow, she accentuated the divisions, weakening the governmentexplains to theAFP Rouslan Stefanov, from the Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD).

Despite its heavy dependence on Russian energy, Sofia did not give in to the Kremlin’s request to open a ruble account for gas payment and therefore suffered a cut in deliveries.

This unprecedented event played a key role in the current crisisestimates Ognyan Mintchev, director of the Institute of international studies of the capital.

Bulgarian oligarchs who received commissions found themselves deprived of income, which aggravated tensions within the coalition as well as between the business community and the governmenthe said to theAFP.

Russian interference is important in Bulgaria, many circles are sensitive to itadds political scientist Yavor Siderov, referring to incessant attempts to destabilize through the dissemination of false information.

Another file has sown discord: the delivery of arms to Ukraine. While most were in favor of it within the government, the Socialists stubbornly refused to respond to kyiv’s demands.

Also a source of discord, the Bulgarian veto on the launch of negotiations for the accession of North Macedonia to theEUfor reasons of historical and cultural disputes.

The war has put the question of expanding theEU in the Balkans, with increased geostrategic importance, and Western pressure for Sofia to lift its opposition has increased. But the rapprochement strategy initiated by Mr. Petkov has not been to everyone’s taste in the government.

President Roumen Radev will now call for negotiations to try to form a new cabinet. The party of Kiril Petkov, winner of the last elections, should try again, followed by two other parties.

If this fails, Parliament will be dissolved and new elections will be held.

In the opinion of the experts, however, the organization of a new poll will not solve anything, because the political landscape is very fragmented.

In a final burst, thousands of Bulgarians took to the streets on Wednesday to support Kiril Petkov’s cabinet.

Things were just starting to look up and now the election will undo everything that has been donelamented Adriana Panayotova, a 34-year-old entrepreneur, who was already pounding the pavement on Monday evening.