GERB Leader Borisov Urges Support for Second Mandate in Bulgaria for Progress

“I want this to reach every one of our voters and regional leaders: The only chance for something good to happen in Bulgaria is to support the second mandate of the PP and DB. Yes, it belonged to us that the prime minister should be ours. But my ego and Maria’s more is it too much of our desire for the country to move forward, at least for a year and a half?” said GERB leader Boyko Borisov to the party’s parliamentary group on the occasion of the decision officially announced earlier on Monday by GERB and PP-DB to support a cabinet with a rotating prime minister with the second mandate.

Borisov tried to present the agreement reached as a great sacrifice on the part of GERB, but in reality it was the only opportunity for his party to participate in power. Initially, GERB hoped that a cabinet with their mandate would pass with the support of BSP, DPS and ITN. Last week, the leader of the Socialists, Kornelia Ninova, backed down sharply after the Chief Prosecutor Ivan Geshev refused to resign, around which the parties behind a possible “Gabriel” cabinet had united. After that, the PP-DB and GERB began to hold talks again, and on Sunday evening, after it became known that there were talks about a rotating prime minister between the two formations, ITN withdrew its support for a first-term government. Thus, if an understanding had not been reached with PP-DB, the draft government of GERB would have received only 105 votes – from Borisov’s party (69) and from DPS (36). With ITN, the votes would have been 116 and again would have been insufficient.

“Five angels to come down from heaven, from 116 to 121 – I can now write you the titles: “Bought”, “Sold”, “Uydurma”, “Political engineering by laboratories” – something we have denied as morality. And we have accepted as morals for our coalition – transparency, cleanliness, publicity”Borisov said on the occasion of the returned first mandate and the lack of support for it.

The GERB leader developed the thesis that the talks with PP and DB were continued, with his party taking a big step back: “We were not stubborn, we understood them. Something that we won as the first political force… Maria went and returned the mandate today with her colleagues, as a condition for us to start… Or I will quote Hristo Ivanov at the meetings – not to stare at which mandate we have, which one has given way, because on the other side is the stability of the state. The goal is only in this direction – and how the political class can make it so that there is a regular government supported by our Euro-Atlantic partners from the EU and NATO. It is difficult, because each of us carries huge burdens, but the only chance for something to happen in Bulgaria is to support the second mandate of PP and DB”.

Borisov announced that neither GERB nor PP-DB betrayed anyone with the decision to agree on a general rotating government, because “the interest of the people demands this”.

“Yes, until yesterday we were insulting each other, but now we have to be responsible. Until yesterday, we listened to Macedonians, politicians and what not, who want to drive Bulgaria to the bottom”. he pointed out.

“There is a time when we will fight again, we love to hate Bulgarians”

“There is time to fight again, Bulgarians are like that – we love to hate. This is a very difficult decision for them (PP-DB – note ed.), it is also very difficult for us. Why didn’t they write to me – that I betrayed and disbanded GERB, and its acronym reads “European development of Bulgaria”. And if 5% remain, we will be a real right-wing European party that does the right things. They better say GERD is weak, let them say I’m bent over, let them say whatever they want“he also said.

“With Kiril (Kiril Petkov- bel.ed.) we may not like each other, but this is the right course – to control ourselves, move forward, and follow the European path. We have huge support for today’s decision, because it is really responsible in the name of the state. Let them tell me that I have stooped, let them say what they want – this decision is an investment in the future of Bulgaria”added Borisov.

According to him, GERB and PP-DB do not have a single topic on which to disagree, they acted responsibly in the name of the state.

“We can ask for an apology, but not forgiveness. Because I am sure that what we are doing is right. Gabrielle has worked with 27 countries in Europe, these are different opinions, you have to be able to collect and sift them. With Denkov, they will find common ground language and work, because there are 5-6 goals that are immediately achievable and that can be worked on immediately, and Europe and the citizens can take a breather that Bulgaria has responsible politicians”the GERB leader also pointed out.

Borisov also confirmed what was said by Denkov and Gabriel – the two formations have agreed to reopen the Electoral Code in order to return the machine voting. “Let them be machines, but let’s think about how to make the election process clean. Should they be scanning devices, should they be read. I have made a commitment on this topic to clean things up so that there are no crossed out protocols”he pointed out.

“I got two summons in the same hour”

In haste, they sent me two summonses to two places at the same time, Borisov said. And he asked what would happen if he didn’t go to the one place: “Will they arrest me?”.

The leader of GERB also drew attention to the fact that sympathizers and representatives of “Vazrazhdane” poured red paint over the Building of the Representation of the European Commission in Sofia:

“Interestingly, yesterday they did not throw paint at the Russian embassy, ​​but the EC representation in our country. And the EU has brought in over BGN 85 billion, and by 2030 – another BGN 50 billion., and we measure it with red paint! As Metzola said – we will clean the building, but does anyone realize how we will balance the state’s money without this money? It’s very easy to talk about.”