Bulgaria’s ruling coalition threatened by defections

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Bulgaria’s leader says he will move forward with a minority government following the withdrawal of one of the four parties from the country’s centrist coalition government. Prime Minister Kiril Petkov told reporters on Wednesday that “a minority government is better than one that is under constant pressure and extortion” from a coalition partner. Three ministers of the populist There Is Such a People party left the government, among them the country’s foreign minister. That puts the future of the governing coalition in jeopardy. Their party leader cited disagreements with the revision of the state budget. The ruling coalition commands 134 of the 240 seats in the National Assembly, but will be short of a majority when it loses the support of 25 legislators.