SOFIA, April 3 (Xinhua) -- The first no-confidence motion against Bulgaria's coalition government, led by Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov, failed on Thursday. The government has been in office for two and a half months.

The motion, initiated on March 26 by three opposition parliamentary groups, accused the government of failures in the area of foreign policy.

However, only 54 members of the 240-seat National Assembly supported the motion, while 150 voted against it. The 36-seat parliamentary group "We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria," the second largest in the legislature, chose not to participate in the vote.

Boyko Borissov, leader of the GERB party and head of the 66-seat GERB-UDF parliamentary group, said on Wednesday that foreign policy was not currently a problem for the government.

"What the Zhelyazkov cabinet is doing is what we think as a party -- firm European support, friendship with Euro-Atlantic partners, and cooperation in military-industrial projects," Borissov said.

The government took office on Jan. 16 with the backing of 125 legislators. Enditem

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