Bulgaria Nationalist Party Hit by Defection

Kamen Petkov is the first member to leave Ataka parliamentary group, citing disagreements with the policy of the leadership, which he has described as "spineless support for the government". Photo by btv.bg

The parliamentary group of Bulgarian nationalist party Ataka, a key ally of the minority center-right government, suffered the defection of one of its members, shrinking to twenty.

Kamen Petkov is the first member to leave Ataka parliamentary group, citing disagreements with the policy of the leadership, which he has described as "spineless support for the government".

He was the only nationalist MP, who did not support the cabinet of Boyko Borisov during its first no-confidence vote in parliament in October, just over a year after taking office.

"I didn't like some things, others ran against the promises, which we had given to the voters," Petkov, who is now an independent member of parliament, explained his decision.

The ruling GERB party has 117 of a total of 240 seats in Bulgaria's unicameral parliament and has so far ruled with the support of 21 deputies from Ataka and 14 members of the small center-right Blue Coalition.

The government and the nationalist party have seen their approval rates going steadily down amidst a stagnating economy and 10% unemployment.

Observers have commented that Ataka is seeking to raise its profile as it will hardly make it to parliament in case of snap polls, especially if it turns its back on Borisov.

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