Debate Begins on Sixth No-Confidence Motion Against the Zhelyazkov Government

Parliament has opened debates on the sixth vote of no confidence against the government of Rosen Zhelyazkov. The motion was tabled by 'We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria', with the support of MPs from Alliance for Rigths and Freedoms (ARF) and Morality, Unity, Honour pary (MECH). Its theme is “Failure in Economic Policy”. The latest attempt to bring down the cabinet comes after mass protests across the country.

Bozhidar Bozhanov, Deputy Chair of the WCC–DB Parliamentary Group:
“Because of the political parasite Delyan Peevski, who drains legitimacy from every government and drives tens of thousands of people onto the streets. And how is this linked to the economy, you may ask? The economy suffers from excessive state interference rooted in corruption. The economy suffers from the absence of fair justice. The economy suffers from corporate raiding through the repressive bodies controlled by Peevski.”

Ahmed Vranchev, MP from the Alliance for Rights and Freedoms:
“The transformation of Bulgaria into a State with a capital ‘S’. A state where economic processes are not governed by the Council of Ministers, not defined by laws, not run by transparent rules, but by a backstage circle, by a parliamentary office, by a corpulent figure. In this State with a capital ‘S’, the economy has no general rules, only selective ones. Investments have no criteria; they have permissions or prohibitions. Resources are not allocated through policy, but through loyalty.”

Tsoncho Ganev, MP from 'Vazrazhdane':
“This government continues to uphold its disgraceful commitments to a terrorist state – Ukraine. A country currently governed by a fascist junta, waging a war that destroys its own population. We have now reached a point where, only days ago, the European Commission asked Bulgaria to act as guarantor for 2.4 billion leva.”

Maria Ilieva, MP from Velichie:
“This government has no long-term economic strategy. Bulgaria has no vision for economic development, and the government operates from crisis to crisis – with no clear horizon, no meaningful reforms and no direction.”

Alexander Ivanov, MP from the GERB - UDF group:
“Since last Friday, and since the reworked budget was submitted on Monday, 80% of your arguments for the vote are unfounded. The administrative burden concerning SUTPO and the planned tax hikes were dropped. So most of your motives simply do not hold. Two days before the motion was submitted, came the news from Eurostat that Bulgaria ranks among the leading EU states for economic growth. So, colleagues, instead of saying what you haven’t done, tell us how to work constructively for Bulgaria. Because the question remains – as both a citizen and an MP – if the government falls on the threshold of the eurozone, what then?”

Manol Peykov, MP from WCC–DB:
“We propose that you remove Peevski’s entourage, take away his security and confiscate his million-leva Mercedes cars. Because if those security funds were distributed among Bulgarian doctors or pensioners, each person would receive around 10 leva. We propose that you show less arrogance. What we are trying to do is tame our state, and we will not stop. And if this government falls, it will be entirely your doing, not ours.”

The debate then moved directly to the economic arguments underpinning the motion. Finance Minister Temenuzhka Petkova responded to criticism that 45% of Bulgaria’s GDP will be redistributed through the state budget. She explained that once EU grant funding is excluded, the figure stands at 40.1%. She also noted that total redistribution has been higher over the past two years due to the Recovery and Resilience Plan, a factor that will no longer apply after 2026.

Temenuzhka Petkova, Minister of Finance:
“In these 11 months we renegotiated the Recovery and Resilience Plan – a plan that had been failing for four years. By the end of this year we will receive the funds for the second and third payments, amounting to nearly 4 billion leva. And now, to clarify the 45% figure: the calculation is simple – for 2025 and 2026, since the Plan concludes in August 2026, all investments we successfully renegotiated are included in this redistribution. If you are proposing that we reject the Recovery Plan, it would be good to state it plainly.”

Boyko Borissov, Chair of GERB:
“I was taught to listen to every citizen. I see the citizens at the protests. Whether political parties like each other or not, and what strategies they have, is their business. But throughout the years, no one can deny that I have always listened to the people. On this budget, I heard them – and we amended it. I believe this is now a good budget. We are 20 metres from the finish line: on 1 January the euro must be introduced. GERB joined this government so Bulgaria could enter the eurozone. And I will not agree to compromise that before every Bulgarian can withdraw euros from a cash machine. After 1 January, then I will talk about resignations, about protests, about anything else.”

Ivaylo Mirchev, WCC–DB:
“We are submitting amendments to the National Service for Protection Act to prohibit the National Service for Protection from protecting MPs. We urge for this to be fast-tracked through committee. Peevski’s security should be removed. It is entirely illogical and based on a false threat report. Security should be provided only to the Speaker of Parliament.”