Constitutional amendments curbing the authority of President Rumen Radev, known for his Russia-friendly stance, were approved by the Bulgarian parliament on Wednesday.

The bill received support from the pro-Western ruling PP-DB, GERB-SDS, and the centrist Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) representing the Turkish minority in its third and final reading.

The PP-DB alliance comprises the We Continue the Change and Democratic Bulgaria parties, while GERB-SDS is composed of the Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria and the Union of Democratic Forces parties.

Achieving a narrow two-thirds majority with 165 out of 240 votes, the constitutional amendments, besides limiting the president’s powers, also aim to fortify the independence of the judiciary. They permit dual nationals with Bulgarian citizenship and at least 18 months of residence in the country to hold positions in the parliament and government.

Under the changes, the president’s authority in cases of a failed coalition government diminishes, preventing them from dissolving the parliament. Additionally, when appointing a caretaker prime minister, the president’s selection will be restricted to the speaker of parliament or members from a select group of senior government officials.

President Radev expressed concern that these amendments undermine the bedrock of Bulgaria’s democratic and sovereign state, intending to challenge them in the Constitutional Court. However, Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov countered, asserting that Radev’s involvement rendered his assessment biased.

The ruling pro-Western blocs, despite previous opposition, have united in Bulgaria since June, as the country remains a member of NATO and the European Union. As part of their coalition agreement, there’s a planned rotation of the prime minister’s role. Nikolai Denkov from the liberal-conservative CC-DB will be succeeded by Maria Gabriel from the centre-right GERB-UDF after 18 months.