Another ex-MP Leaving Bulgaria's Patriotic Front

Former lawmaker Valentin Nikolov has quit the Patriotic Front coalition, rejecting its move to run together with far-right Ataka party in the upcoming early election.

Nikolov has followed the example of Dimitar Bayraktarov, calling the coalition "unprincipled" in an interview with private broadcaster NOVA TV.

The Patriotic Front shook hands with Ataka last year, after a long feud between PF co-chair Valeri Simeonov and Ataka leader Volen Siderov.

Nikolov has said more PF members will leave the coalition soon.

The so-called United Patriots - the name of PF's coalition with Ataka - raised the candidacy of Krasimir Karakachanov in the presidential election in November. Karakachanov came third.

Meanwhile some media outlets, such as the news websites Mediapool and OffNews report another former PF lawmaker, Slavi Binev - who has also served as MEP and has sparked controversy with a clerical title - has quit the coalition and is now poised to join the liberal, ethnic Turk-dominated Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS).

The PF parties have portrayed the DPS has one of its main enemies in Bulgarian politics for being "pro-Turkish".