site.btaDeputy PM Zafirov: No-Confidence Votes Aim to Delay Bulgaria’s European Path

“For more than 35 years, Bulgarian citizens have followed a clear direction: the full European integration of Bulgaria. Motions of no confidence like the current one clearly do not aim to bring down the government, but rather to attempt, if not to derail, then at least to delay Bulgaria on this path,” Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Zafirov told journalists on Friday after the majority in Parliament rejected a no-confidence motion against Rosen Zhelyazkov’s government, submitted by the Vazrazhdane party for “failure in fiscal policy.”

“We have always believed that a parliamentary vote of no confidence is a very serious, very powerful tool of the opposition,” Zafirov commented, adding that it should be used only when there is a real situation for changing the government and solid arguments to support it.

“Everything we heard today was utterly unserious, both in the debate and in the protest that was declared as nationwide and large-scale,” Zafirov said. He addressed supporters and members of parties backing such no-confidence motions, stating that this does not discredit the government’s work, but rather the work of Parliament itself.

“To illustrate once more the inconsistency of this kind of behaviour: even while the debate on this no-confidence motion was still ongoing, a new one was already submitted. This shows that even the initiators know the motion has no chance of success and are simply taking the next step in undermining Parliament’s work,” Zafirov pointed out.

When asked whether the government would withstand the next no-confidence vote, potentially with the support of the Continue the Change parliamentary group, Zafirov said it was clear that there is a majority supporting Bulgaria’s European path, and he believes that majority will remain solid.

“I expect this government to complete its four-year term. I believe Bulgarian citizens are beginning to feel the results of this administration: not a small amount of funds rescued from the Recovery and Resilience Plan, payments made to municipal budgets, and the Swiss rule has been preserved,” he commented.

Regarding the demands of young medical professionals, Zafirov said he expects a framework to be prepared as early as next week, allowing young specialists to receive at least BGN 2,000 in monthly pay.

Asked about the tension between him and MPs from Vazrazhdane during the parliamentary question time, Zafirov said it was a demonstration of these MPs’ level of political culture. “You heard the offensive remarks and qualifications directed at me,” he added. Earlier, Parliamentary Chair Nataliya Kiselova imposed a formal reprimand on MP Tsoncho Ganev for insulting Zafirov.