Status: 07/28/2022 2:56 p.m
After three failed attempts to form a government, Bulgaria is likely to hold new elections in October. Analysts fear the political crisis could strengthen nationalist and pro-Russian groups.
After several failed attempts to form a government, new elections will most likely be held in Bulgaria in the fall – for the fourth time since April last year. After the fall of Prime Minister Kiril Petkov’s pro-Western government, the Socialists (BSP), who had previously co-governed, gave up their third and final mandate to form a government.
BSP parliamentary group leader Georgi Swilenski had already admitted yesterday that efforts to form a viable coalition had failed. Previously, the two largest parties in parliament – the reformist We Continue Change Party and the right-wing conservative GERB – had failed to form a government.
Transitional government must be installed
President Rumen Radev is expected to soon dissolve the parliament that was only elected in November 2021. He must set up an interim government and announce a date for the parliamentary elections. This is indicated for October. Analysts expect that the new election will result in a stronger presence of nationalist and pro-Russian groups in parliament.
EU and NATO member country Bulgaria is caught in a political crisis. The pro-European Prime Minister Petkov was overthrown in June after just six months by a vote of no confidence in parliament. His governing coalition had faltered, among other things, because of disagreements over military aid to Ukraine. The four-party government lost its parliamentary majority in June after the populist ITN left the coalition.
Dispute over relationship with Russia
In view of rapidly rising inflation, the opposition also accused the government of having failed with its financial and economic policies. The previous coalition is also bequeathing “chaos in the energy sector” to the future transitional cabinet, complained Head of State Radew. In April, Russia stopped direct gas supplies to Bulgaria, citing Sofia’s refusal to pay the bills in rubles.
In June, Bulgaria ordered the expulsion of 70 Russian diplomatic employees, fueling tensions between the two historically close nations. After its invasion of Ukraine, Petkov accused Russia of relying on “hybrid war” tactics.
Disagreement also because of North Macedonia
There was also a dispute in the Bulgarian parliament about relations with neighboring North Macedonia. Petkov had recently pursued a policy of rapprochement with the Balkan country. This had raised hopes that Bulgaria might end its opposition to Skopje’s EU membership aspirations.
The previous head of government, Petkov, took office with a promise to combat the corruption that was rampant under his conservative predecessor Boyko Borissov in the EU member state, which is considered poor. He himself blames Borisov for his dismissal, as well as a well-known oligarch and the Russian ambassador in Sofia.