Sofia, 6 March 2024 (dpa/MIA) - Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov resigned as planned after nine months at the head of a pro-Western government, opening the door for his coalition partner to lead the country.

Denkov's letter of resignation was submitted to parliament on Tuesday, the government in Sofia said. It was not immediately clear when parliament would vote on the resignation of Denkov and the government he led.

"The government will continue its business ... until a new government is elected," said Denkov in a speech on Tuesday evening.

The move clears the way for former EU commissioner and former deputy prime minister Mariya Gabriel, of the centre-right GERB party, to take over Denkov's job.

Denkov, of the centrist We Continue the Change (PP) party, is now set to become Gabriel's deputy.

Following parliamentary elections last year, the two political camps that came out on top struck a power-sharing deal in which the position of prime minister would rotate.

The verbal agreement avoided a sixth parliamentary election within two years. Bulgaria was given a government that pursued consistently pro-EU and NATO policies.

But the deal could be on shaky ground, with both camps arguing for weeks about the post of foreign minister and the division of the other ministries.

MIA file photo