Bulgaria PM Faces No-Confidence Vote

Bulgaria's opposition party on Thursday put forward a third no-confidence motion against the country's Socialist-backed technocrat prime minister.

Plamen Oresharski took office last May, but quickly fell out of favor with disillusioned voters in the European Union's poorest country, who accused his government of corruption and links to the oligarchy.

Despite massive street demonstrations calling for his resignation over the summer he has clung to power, and he is expected to survive the latest challenge.

The opposition motion claims he has failed to reform the country's security sector and tackle an influx of refugees from Syria and elsewhere, among other criticisms.

Parliament will next week vote on the no-confidence motion, the third since Oresharski took office.

He can count on the backing of the Socialists, the Turkish minority MRF party and the Ataka ultra-nationalists, who together hold a majority in the 240-seat legislature.

Oresharski's predecessor resigned a year ago after mass anti-poverty protests.