Bulgaria will hold a snap parliamentary election on April 19 as the country grapples with prolonged political instability and a fragmented parliament.

SOFIA: President Iliana Iotova announced the date for another snap parliamentary vote. The election on April 19 will be the country’s eighth in just five years.

“I will make a decree to have elections on the 19th of April,” Iotova told a news conference on Wednesday. She made the announcement after meeting with the head of a new caretaker government

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Last week, Iotova appointed Andrey Gyurov, a deputy governor of the Bulgarian National Bank, to lead an interim administration. His government is tasked with preparing for the upcoming vote.

The previous government resigned on December 11 following weeks of street protests. Demonstrators were angry over its economic policies and perceived failure to tackle corruption.

The EU and NATO member state has faced prolonged political instability since joining the euro zone on January 1. Parties have been unable to form stable ruling coalitions in a fragmented parliament.

 The Sun Malaysia