Bulgarian Government Survives No-Confidence Vote Over Corruption Allegations

Bulgaria’s government survived a no-confidence vote in parliament on Thursday, the second such challenge in just two weeks, as opposition parties accused the ruling coalition of failing to tackle corruption, The Associated Press reported.

The motion, initiated by the nationalist Mech party and backed by two other pro-Russia and nationalist factions, was defeated by a 130-72 vote in the 240-seat National Assembly, the report said, adding that the ruling coalition, led by the center-right GERB party, retained majority support despite growing criticism over allegations of rampant graft and bribery.

The government dismissed the motion as politically motivated, reportedly suggesting it was intended to undermine Bulgaria’s efforts to deepen European integration by adopting the euro in early 2026.

The pro-Western PP-DB coalition chose not to support the motion, with its members reportedly saying that now was not the time to destabilize the government, citing an imminent European Commission report on Bulgaria’s eurozone accession bid.

“Any vote of no confidence before Bulgaria’s entry into the eurozone is not a vote to topple the government, but a vote to stop its pro-European course,” AP quoted PP-DB lawmaker Venko Sabrutev as saying.

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