Prime Minister of Bulgaria Kiril Petkov speaks during a joint press conference with European Commissioner for Transport Adina Valean and Romanian counterpart Nicolae Ciuca (not in picture) in Bucharest, Romania, April 29, 2022. (VADIM GHIRDA / AP)
SOFIA – Bulgaria's main opposition party filed a no-confidence motion against the government of Prime Minister Kiril Petkov on Wednesday over its economic policy, a move that could topple the ruling coalition after just six months in office.
The center-right GERB party of former premier Boyko Borissov accused Petkov's administration of failing to take proper steps to counter surging inflation, triggered by the war in Ukraine.
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A vote would be expected next week.
Bulgaria saw its consumer prices jump by 14.4% in April, mainly due to a spike in prices of food and energy
"We have lodged a no-confidence motion in the government over its failure in economic and fiscal policy," said Desislava Atanasova, a senior GERB member.
GERB plans to hold talks with all other political factions in parliament to support the motion, she added.
Bulgaria saw its consumer prices jump by 14.4 percent in April, a 14-year high, mainly due to a spike in prices of food and energy. Figures for May are due later on Wednesday.
Petkov, a 42-year-old economist elected in December on a reform and anti-corruption platform, has said he will try to secure parliamentary support for a minority government after the populist ITN party quit the four-party coalition.
Despite some ITN defections, the cabinet is still seven seats short of majority.
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The political turmoil is set to slow a reformist drive in the EU's poorest corrupt member state, and could jeopardize plans to tap EU recovery funds and join the euro zone, targeted for 2024.
