Bulgaria's parliament rejected, as expected, a second no-confidence motion against the centre-right government on Friday over the economy, which is struggling to recover from a deep and painful recession, according to Reuters. Prime Minister Boiko Borisov's popularity has fallen due to economic woes, failure to implement promised reforms and an unconvincing progress in the fight against organised crime and corruption. Analysts said the motion, which had no realistic chance of toppling the government, aimed to raise the profile of the opposition Socialists before local and presidential elections in October. Borisov's ruling GERB party came to power two years ago on promises to battle the economic crisis and improve living standards in the European Union poorest country, but was forced to freeze pensions and public sector salaries to rein in a bulging fiscal deficit. High inflation, which has piled more pressure on already low incomes, unemployment and a wiretapping scandal which implicated senior party members including Borisov have also eroded GERB's popularity. The minority cabinet, backed by independent lawmakers, survived the challenge with 124 MPs voting against the motion and 70 in favour. Two lawmakers abstained. The ethnic Turkish MRF party, a junior partner in the previous Socialist-led cabinet, voted against the government. The nationalist Attack party, which has so far backed Borisov, and the right-wing Blue Coalition did not turn up to vote to express their disagreement with the cabinet. Borisov himself was not present in parliament either to defend his cabinet.
