Bulgaria’s Premier, Cabinet Resign

Premier Georgi Atanassov and his 22-member Cabinet resigned today, an official source said, in a development that could lead to creation of a new government including opposition figures for the first time in more than 40 years.

Atanassov was a holdover from the era of disgraced leader Todor Zhivkov and had come under increased pressure to resolve Bulgaria’s labor strife.

Atanassov’s resignation had been widely expected because of several personal attacks on him during an emergency Communist Party conference under way. It was not immediately known when a new government would be named.

The president and Communist Party chief, Petar Mladenov, has held out the possibility of creating an interim government to share power with opposition groups before elections.

However, the composition of the proposed government has not been made clear.