Opposition parties in Bulgaria correctly chose the crisis in the country’s healthcare as the reason to table a no-confidence motion against the Cabinet, German newspaper Handelsblatt reported.

It is clear that the motion will fail but its motivation was carefully selected, the report said.

Bulgarian healthcare is too expensive and inefficient, the German newspaper said. Since state covers only 50 per cent of hospital expenditure, additional subsidies are needed and corruption opportunities stem.

By the end of the year Cabinet is expected to come up with a national healthcare strategy. Public debate on the issue was a positive development, Handelsblatt reported.

Upon its EU entry, Bulgaria became one of the poorest union members and now faces a dilemma, the report said. On one had it wants to open its economy to the West. At the same time its social system needs reforms, which are expensive to carry out.

The two goals might overload the national budget, which in turn could lead to macroeconomic destabilisation, the report said.