Bulgarian opposition files first no-confidence motion against cabinet

SOFIA, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) -- Bulgaria's opposition on Wednesday filed the first no-confidence motion against the coalition government of the center-right GERB party and the nationalist United Patriots that was elected in May.

The parliamentary group of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), which holds 80 seats in the 240-seat parliament, filed the motion because of the inability of the government to cope with corruption, "the main problem facing the country."

Korneliya Ninova, leader of BSP, told reporters that 83 percent of Bulgarian citizens considered corruption as their main problem, and it should be resolved as soon as possible.

According to the parliamentary rules, the motion has to be discussed within one week, and voted not earlier than 24 hours after the closure of the debate.

To be passed, the motion must be supported by more than half of the legislators.

All no-confidence motions in Bulgaria in the last 28 years have been unsuccessful.

In recent months, corruption has been a major field of confrontation between BSP and the GERB-led parliamentary majority.

On Dec. 20, the majority adopted an anti-corruption law, but on Jan. 2, the BSP-nominated Bulgarian President Rumen Radev vetoed the law saying that the measures in the law, though necessary, would not be enough to effectively counteract corruption.

However, last Friday the Parliament overcame the veto, and Radev was supported only by BSP legislators. Enditem