Bulgarian European Commissioner Maria Gabriel Nominated for Prime Minister by GERB Leader Boyko Borisov

The leader of GERB, Boyko Borisov, officially presented the nomination of the Bulgarian European Commissioner Maria Gabriel for the first term of prime minister to the deputies in the parliament. Borisov announced from the parliamentary rostrum that Gabriel will lead the talks with the other parties for support. Meetings start already on Thursday.

None of the formations has yet officially declared that they will support a government with a GERB mandate. DPS, BSP and ITN, however, do not say “no”, unlike “We continue the change – Democratic Bulgaria”.

Hours after the announcement of Gabriel’s nomination for Prime Minister, the European Commission announced that as of today she is on unpaid leave and her duties as European Commissioner will be taken over by EC Vice-Presidents Margrethe Vestager and Margaritis Schinas. If Gabriel is elected prime minister, the Bulgarian government will have to make a proposal on who will take the post of European commissioner.

“As a sitting European Commissioner, she has to go through legal procedures, so our contact groups will be in touch with you so that she can hold the meetings and assume her responsibilities as Prime Minister candidate“, Borisov said on Wednesday morning in the plenary hall.

He highlighted her responsibilities as European Commissioner, which include innovation, scientific research, culture, education and youth, and pointed out that all parties have “a lot written” on these topics in their programs.

Maria Gabriel was an MEP from the EPP Group from 2009 to 2017. Then, from 7 July 2017 to 1 December 2019, she was European Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society in the Juncker Commission, and from the end of 2019 is a European Commissioner responsible for innovation, scientific research, culture, education and youth in the “Von der Leyen” Commission.

A day ago, the president said that he would hand GERB the first exploratory mandate on May 15. Shortly afterwards, Borissov announced that his party had a candidate for prime minister, but refused to name the candidate. Then, without naming her, the GERB leader described Gabriel as an “undisputed prime minister” who could “bring order to chaos”.

On Tuesday, Borisov made a request that he is determined to form a regular cabinet already with the first mandate. And he made an offer to the other five parties in the parliament – ministers in the cabinet will have the formations that are ready to support him.

The leader of GERB announced that he will seek support from all the other five parliamentary formations. In practice, however, it means a government of GERB, DPS, BSP and ITN, since “Proceeding the change-Democratic Bulgaria” (PP-DB) refused to support a government with the mandate and participation of GERB and conducted negotiations with them, expecting to receive support from Borisov’s party for a government with the second mandate. Vazrazhdane, on the other hand, states that they would only support a government with their mandate.

For PP-DB, Gabriel’s nomination does not change anything

After the official announcement of Gabriel’s nomination, the PP-DB announced that the name of the prime minister candidate does not change their previous position.

“Our main promise to our voters is not to allow representatives of GERB in these elections in the executive branch”, PP’s Daniel Laurer told reporters in parliament.

According to him, in this case the personality does not matter: “Maria Gabriel is not the only person in GERB who fulfills her duties in the right way, but the matter is fundamental. We have given a request that the first mandate will not pass due to the lack of trust in the whole party, not in individual individuals, therefore there will be no to propose our candidates for ministers”.

DPS: This is the right approach

The Chairman of the DPS Mustafa Karadai approved the approach of GERB: “This is the right approach, if the previous parliaments reacted in this way, maybe they too would have produced something more stable as a government”.

According to him, however, Gabrielle herself did not expect to be offered the position. “I think that she also did not expect and did not make a comprehensive management program to present. But at least intentions, ideas, priorities, direction we need to hear so that we can sit down and really talk. Let’s see what formula they propose for power , because we have heard many different formulas for the last two and a half years”Karadai added.

He declined to say whether his party plans to propose ministers to the eventual cabinet:

“First, let’s get an invitation. Second, let’s see what they’re going to offer. And then we’ll join the talks, so we go step by step, not get ahead of events. Now there’s a candidate for prime minister announced right now, let’s we hear from the candidate for Prime Minister at least three or five priorities, what will he announce in general as intention and direction”.

BSP did not like that there was a candidacy before clear priorities were presented

BSP leader Cornelia Ninova announced that she has already received an invitation to a meeting with Maria Gabriel tomorrow and will respond, but asked for specifics from the party – what priorities would a cabinet have with the first term and for what term would it be.

“Again, we are not clear why they are inviting us and what are we going to condemn? Is it the program of GERB, that of PP-DB? We will go, we will approach it politely and institutionally. We expect GERB to put order in the chaos, because with this move they are deepening the chaos. We had to another way to approach”she said.

According to her, “Borisov made another mistake” in that Gabriel was presented as a nomination before the possible negotiation of priorities.

“We proposed that there be a leadership meeting at which the 5-6-7 most important priorities for the country should be specified. If we achieve it, we should set reasonable deadlines for the implementation of these tasks and only then look for the prime minister and the ministers.”Ninova added.

She made it clear that her party was ready to conduct an internal poll on whether the BSP should participate in a possible government or not, but for now she did not have the necessary clarity to proceed with this:

“First we have to clarify everything else and after that we conduct a three-day survey in the party and give an answer as to whether we will participate in the cabinet”.

Ninova declined to say whether she liked Gabrielle’s nomination, arguing that she would not give personal ratings because “we are here to make politics” and “we want to take a principled approach”.

ITN is waiting for a conversation with GERB

“Maria Gabriel has a good business card in Europe, but that doesn’t mean anything, because “There is such a people” has not yet received an invitation to talk”Stanislav Balabanov from ITN told journalists.

He emphasized that the possible support for GERD goes through in-depth conversations about programs and priorities.

“If the first term is not successful, the second will not be successful anyway, we are ready to get the third term. If that happens, then we will say what we think should happen.”Balabanov also said.

Acting PM: Gabriel is a good choice

“As far as I know Mrs. Maria Gabriel personally, I think this is a good and thoughtful choice. She has represented Bulgaria for many years as a European Commissioner with portfolios that are extremely responsible”said acting Prime Minister Galab Donev.

“We already know the name of the prime minister of GERB, if we continue like this, it is expected that by the end of the week the names of the candidates for ministers will be clear,” he added.

He also said that he did not know whether some ministerial ministers would eventually become part of a cabinet with a GERB mandate: “This is their choice, but everyone must correctly inform if there are such conversations and, accordingly, their consent to participate”.