site.btaUPDATED Democratic Bulgaria Won't Participate in Friday's No-Confidence Vote, One Leader Will Support It

MPs from Democratic Bulgaria will not participate in Friday’s vote of no confidence against the Zhelyazkov cabinet, but one of the coalition’s leaders will support the motion, Bozhidar Bozhanov, co-chair of Yes, Bulgaria, said ahead of today’s parliamentary sitting.

The vote of no confidence, filed over what the opposition calls a failure in the environmental and water management sector, is the first item on the National Assembly’s agenda on Friday.

Bozhanov explained that the latest no-confidence vote, like previous ones, ultimately serves the ruling coalition by granting it more legitimacy and allowing it to mock the pro-Russian opposition. This, he said, was the reason behind Democratic Bulgaria’s decision not to participate in today’s vote.

“We have no intention of getting on the Russian train,’” Bozhanov told journalists.

Still, he added, to reflect the shared position of the entire Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria parliamentary group, namely that it remains in opposition and does not support the current government, one leader's vote from DB will be cast in favor of the motion.