Sofia, 6 June 2023 (dpa/MIA) - Bulgaria now has a pro-Western government consisting of the country's two largest parties after months of political crisis.

The National Assembly confirmed a new government on Tuesday led by Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov, despite protests from pro-Russian nationalists. Denkov got the top job after the country's April 2 parliamentary election, the fifth within two years.

Denkov, 60 and a scientist, is a member of the second-placed liberal-conservative PP-DB bloc, an electoral coalition from the parties We Continue the Change and Democratic Bulgaria.

The new prime minister obtained a majority of 132 votes from the election winner, the centre-right GERB-SDS and from the PP-DB. There were 69 no votes.

As a compromise solution, both camps have already agreed that the office of prime minister will change every nine months. After Denkov (PP), it would be the turn of ex-EU commissioner Maria Gabriel (GERB).

The government itself received 131 votes in a separate vote, with 69 parliamentarians from pro-Russian and nationalist parties voting against them. The new government replaces the current interim Cabinet appointed by Rumen Radev, who is considered Russia-friendly.

Bulgaria is both a member of the European Union and the Western NATO defence alliance.