Borisov after No-Confidence Vote: Greece Is in Blood, Bulgaria Is Fine

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov enjoys the welcome of the locals in Troyan where he praised the local mayor for initiating 14 EU-funded projects. Photo by BGNES

After his Cabinet survived a no-confidence vote on Friday, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has snubbed questions about whether he is worried over the opposition's plans for further no confidence motions.

"If they are not ashamed, let them initiate more no confidence votes . This is just not serious, that is why I don't pay any attention to them," Borisov said when asked if expects further attempts by the opposition made up of the Bulgarian Socialist Party and the centrist party of the ethnic Turks DPS ("Movement for Rights and Freedoms).

"Neighboring Greece has sunken blood, it is bankrupt. What do you want – to have the same situation in Bulgaria? Do you watch the news," the Prime Minister told a reporter in the town of Troyan when the latter asked him about Bulgaria's current state, apparently referring to the ongoing street protests in Greece.

"We are doing much better here. They are bankrupt, and we are absorbing many times more EU funds than did the former government of the three-way coalition," Borisov said somewhat irritated.

The PM also snubbed his informal ally, the leader of the nationalist party Ataka Volen Siderov.

"Please behave seriously. Who cares about who said what?" Borisov told journalists in Troyan when asked to comment the accusations of Ataka leader Siderov that the government and the ruling party GERB are buying off the support of independent MPs in order to stay in power.

Borisov's Cabinet survived Friday with 124 MPs voting against the no confidence vote, including the 117 MPs of the GERB party and 9 independents who are former members of Ataka, the marginal conservative party RZS, and DPS.

The Ataka and the rightist Blue Coalition decided to be absent from the vote, while only the Bulgarian Socialist Party and the ethnic Turkish Party DPS supported it.

During his visit to the mountain town of Troyan on Friday, Borisov opened a new water purification station, and gave the start of a new urban development project.

He praised the Mayor of the town of Troyan Minko Akimov for having initiated 14 projects that have been awarded EU funding.

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