By setting a condition for the non-participation of “Let’s Keep the Change” in a future cabinet, GERB effectively undermines the possibility of a possible success of “democratic Bulgaria” with the third term. In this way, GERB has practically pointed to the only option for forming a governing majority in the current parliament – around the so-called “Paper Coalition” between GERB, BSP and DPS.
By taking PP out of the calculations for a future governing majority, the GERB is holding hostage a possible future cabinet of another majority – that of the “Paper Ballot” coalition together with “Bulgarski Vozhod” (BV), i.e. – the majority that elected Vezhdi Rashidov as Speaker of the National Assembly. Such a government, most likely in program form, could be assembled under the BV mandate.
Monday morning, when the second political force “Let’s continue the change” (PP) he returned his term unfinishedPresident Rumen Radev has made it clear that he is considering handing over the third term to “democratic Bulgaria”.
“Yesterday, your coalition partners and like-minded people from ‘Democratic Bulgaria’ said that the only way to form a government is to reach an agreement between PP and GERB.” said the president in the part of the conversation with the PP open to the media.
After the meeting, the PP reiterated that it was ready to talk to everyone except the party co-chairman Kiril Petkov he defined the possibilities of a toilet as very small.
The co-president of DB Hristo Ivanov stated for his part, that his formation would approach like a PP and seek agreement on program priorities, but without coalitions and agreements. He stressed that the DB will not commit to forming a cabinet if there is no clear commitment to constitutional reform and anti-corruption.
After the GERB trumpeted for days how the third term should be awarded to “democratic Bulgaria” and even nominated the association’s co-chairman Hristo Ivanov as a candidate for prime minister, Boyko Borisov’s party made an impossible demand in advance. GERB parliamentary leader Desislava Atanasova announced from Ruse that GERB will give support only if there are no “Keep the Change” people in a possible DB cabinet. She even listed the names: Kiril Petkov, Asen Vasilev and Boyko Rashkov.
“If the third term goes to the Democratic Party, we will expect to be asked for support first. We will also ask the Democratic Party to evaluate everything that has happened during the administration of ‘Let’s continue the change’ – corruption scandals, energy, Recovery and Sustainability Plan “said Atanasova.
He also set two more restrictive conditions: GERB will not support a third-term government if it is handed over to the BSP or “Vazrazhdane”.
As for DPS and “Bulgarski Vozhod”, Desislava Atanasova said she has points of contact with them, but a decision on whether to support a government with a mandate given to one of the two parties will be taken by the governing bodies of the GERB.
In this way, the GERB effectively ruled out the automatic success of the Democratic Party with the last mandate, because the PP is the only political ally of the Democratic Party in the current parliament, as well as in the previous one, when they governed together in a quadruple coalition with the PP mandate.
PP: Contract is a word I don’t use
GERB’s ultimatum came in time and to cut it fields of fantasy by Hristo Ivanov by the third term formula.
A day ago he expressed the opinion that there must be one in order to have a stable exit from the political crisis negotiation between PP and GERB. He did not specify what kind of agreement, given that PP voters, as well as DB voters, would not accept any kind of collaboration with Boyko Borisov’s party.
“Contract” is a word we don’t use. There may be agreement on useful policies, say justice reform. How GERB envisions justice reform is something that will depend on whether or not we get an agreement on this reform.”PP candidate for prime minister, academician Nikolay Denkov, said on Monday.
His words were in response to President Radev, who asked:
“Yesterday, your coalition partners and like-minded people from ‘Democratic Bulgaria’ said that the only way to form a government is if an agreement is reached between PP and GERB. Therefore, I would ask you to discuss this matter.”
Later, party co-chair Kiril Petkov commented that PP is ready to negotiate with anyone on policies.
According to him there are topics on which there should be agreement in principle by all, such as the reform of the judiciary and the powers of the chief prosecutor.
“The truth is that lately all politicians are surrounded by an almost schizophrenic political rhetoric. On the one hand, everyone wants to have a government, but nobody wants to talk”.said Petkov and added: “It is very unlikely that there will be a government with a third term.”
After meeting with Radev, Denkov commented that first it should be seen who the president will give the third term.
“Bulgaria needs a government that however works for the benefit of people and businesses. Let’s see who the president will give the third term. The president must define what the procedure will be, if the leaders will sit down at the table or we will start discussing the first policies, which depend on the mandate holder,” Denkov said
PP: The discussion on Bulgaria is yet to come
Before that, the first political force GERB failed in its attempt to form a government on December 14, when the parliament rejected the candidate for prime minister Prof. Nikolay Gabrovski.
The second political force, the PP, did not have to present a draft government after the vote on the draft declaration of priorities, aimed at establishing whether there is a majority, showed that there is not.
“I return the folder with the unfulfilled mandate. Unfortunately, this list of national goals with priorities and tasks for their achievement has not received sufficient political support, but I am sure that this effort has been worth it. The discussion, the discussion on where Bulgaria is expected to develop in the coming months yet to come” said Nikolay Denkov, nominated by the PP as a candidate for prime minister, after the return of the unfulfilled mandate.
The third term
Earlier, Radev said he would announce his decision for a third term on time, but did not say who he would deliver it to.
Radev’s comment made it clear that he would prefer to give parliament more time to pass the necessary minimum laws before eventually dissolving it and calling new elections.
On Sunday, the GERB leader Boyko Borisov invited the co-president of “Democratic Bulgaria” Hristo Ivanov to form a government.
‘Keep the Change’ co-chair Asen Vassilev commented, however, that it would take a miracle to form a cabinet with the third term, and he is skeptical that a program will be worked out to move Bulgaria forward, or if there there is one, which will be supported.
