Bulgaria's opposition Socialists asked parliament on Friday to hold a vote of no-confidence in the centre-right government, accusing it of failing to tackle a prolonged economic crisis and carry out much-needed reforms, according to Reuters. The second such vote against the government of Prime Minister Boiko Borisov is unlikely to topple the minority cabinet, as it enjoys the support of enough independent lawmakers to get the 121 votes it needs in the 240-seat chamber. But the motion is likely to erode the government's popularity, already hit by a slow economic recovery, frozen incomes, high unemployment and accelerating inflation in the European Union's poorest member. The nationalist Attack party, until recently an unwavering supporter of the government in parliament, has said it has not decided whether to back the cabinet after a recent spat with the ruling GERB party over a mosque attack. GERB has 117 seats in parliament. "We are becoming an increasingly poor country, increasingly uncompetitive, with people who do not see any perspective," Socialist leader Sergei Stanishev said. The motion is backed by the ethnic Turkish MRF party, which was a junior partner in the previous Socialist-led cabinet. Political analysts say the vote, expected next week, mainly aims to raise the profile of the Socialist party before local and presidential elections in October. Bulgaria crawled out of deep recession last year and grew by an annual 3.4 percent in the first quarter. But domestic demand remains weak as fiscal tightening, weak bank lending and sluggish wage growth keep consumers on the defensive. The cabinet has frozen salaries and public sector pensions and cut spending to maintain fiscal stability and avoid piling up government debt, but the cuts are hindering faster recovery and eroding already low living standards. More than 120,000 workers have lost their jobs since 2009 and unemployment was 8.9 percent in May. The rising prices of food and fuels have eaten away at already low salaries of about 300 euros per month, a fraction of the EU average. Despite the economic woes, GERB remains the leading political force, as many Bulgarians say they do not see a genuine alternative. In January, Borisov's cabinet won a confidence vote for its overall policy and its mandate of rooting out corruption and organised crime.
