- Title: Bulgaria PM plans govt overhaul in face of protests
- Date: 16th July 2020
- Summary: SOFIA, BULGARIA (JULY 15, 2020) (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAINS PROFANITY*** DEMONSTRATORS HOLDING BULGARIAN FLAGS AND PLACARDS TAKING PART IN ANTI-CORRUPTION PROTEST PROTESTERS WAVING BULGARIAN FLAG CHANTING (Bulgarian): "MAFIA" PROTESTERS HUGGING, HOLDING PLACARDS WITH BORISSOV'S PHOTO AND SIGN READING (Bulgarian): "BULGARIA DOESN'T LOVE ME, BUT I'M SO FUCKING COOL" PROTESTER HOLDING PLACARD PROTESTER WAVING BULGARIAN FLAG AND WHISTLING PROTESTERS SINGING BULGARIAN ANTHEM MAN DRAPED IN BULGARIAN FLAG STANDING IN FRONT OF POLICE LINED UP VARIOUS OF POLICE OFFICERS LINED UP EUROPEAN FLAG WAVING AT ENTRANCE TO GOVERNMENTAL BUILDING
- Embargoed: 30th July 2020 14:20
- Keywords: Boyko Borissov Bulgarian government Bulgarian politics ministers stepping down
- Location: SOFIA, BULGARIA
- City: SOFIA, BULGARIA
- Country: Bulgaria
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA002CN27VAX
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: CONTAINS PROFANE LANGUAGE
Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, facing a no-confidence vote in parliament and anti-corruption protests in the streets, said on Thursday (July 16) that his government must stay in place to fight the coronavirus - though he may overhaul his cabinet soon.
The three-times prime minister said he would consider an "enormous overhaul" of his centre-right cabinet after the no-confidence vote next week, which the ruling party can survive with the support of a small populist party and independent lawmakers.
Speaking after the meeting with his junior coalition partners, Borissov reiterated that the anti-graft protests and calls for early polls by the opposition Socialists and President Rumen Radev were undermining the Balkan country's chances of weathering a looming coronavirus crisis that will hit incomes and jobs hard.
"We are facing very hard months ahead... Who from those on the square has more experience than us, knows more or can do more?" the defiant 61-year-old said.
Thousands of Bulgarians have been holding protests demanding the resignation of the government and the chief prosecutor Ivan Geshev over their failure to ensure the rule of law and sever links between graft-prone officials and powerful tycoons in the country.
Borissov said on Thursday that he had asked his finance, interior and economy ministers to step down to put an end of speculation that they were under the influence of a controversial media magnate and businessman from another political party, but that he will not accept their resignations for now.
(Production: Stoyan Nenov, Malgorzata Wojtunik) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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