The success of the vote of confidence for the Bulgarian government in Parliament only covers up its deep political and economic failures, according to opposition Bulgarian Socialist Party leader Sergey Stanishev.

"Not a single question about the scandal that provoked the vote has been answered," said Stanishev for bTV, referring to the recently leaked tapes implicating several top statesmen, including PM Boyko Borisov in alleged abuse of power.

The socialist leader said he doubted that the records were fake or edited, since the conversations heard were completely coherent and logical.

"What we have witnessed is a complete contradiction between what is happening and what the ruling GERB party promised - transparency, honesty, fight with corruption and the grey economy," said the former Bulgarian PM.

According to Stanishev, in 2010 the Bulgarian state has gathered revenue amounting to EUR 1 B less than that for 2009, which he explained with growth in smuggling, failure to pay VAT and excise taxes, and a overall growth of the grey economy as a result of the actions of the center-right GERB cabinet.

He recalled that international companies have estimated that the illegal traffic of cigarettes in Bulgaria has risen twofold in 2010.

Some of the leaked taped conversations between Bulgarian Customs Agency director Vanyo Tanov and his superiors, MinFin Simeon Djankov and vice-MinFin Vladislav Goranov referred to alleged irregularities regarding the crossing of cigarettes through Bulgaria's border.

"In the present overall political situation, the right move for the government is not to ask for a confidence vote, but to resign," admonished Stanishev.

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