Bulgarian President Plevneliev to start political consultations on new government on February 22
A few hours after Bulgaria’s Parliament voted on February 21 2013 to accept the resignation of Prime Minister Boiko Borissov’s centre-right government, President Rossen Plevneliev said that he would begin political consultations on a new government the following day, pledging to so on a collective basis with all parties to forestall suspicions of illicit deals.
Borissov announced on February 20 that his government would resign to seek a new “credit of confidence” after several days of nationwide protests, that an included incidents of violence in central Sofia on the night of February 19. The protests began as a campaign against high electricity bills but became a vehicle for discontent at the situation in Bulgaria as a whole.
Plevneliev, who took office as head of state in January 2012 after being elected on the ticket of Borissov’s GERB party, said that he would strictly follow the procedures set out in the constitution. This meant that on February 25 he would offer a mandate to GERB to form a government, and if this was refused, would in turn offer it to the second- and third-largest parties in Parliament.
Once this process is completed and no party has formed a government, the President will appoint a caretaker administration. Plevneliev said that this administration’s most important task would be to guide the country towards democratic elections.
He indicated that representatives of employers’ associations and trade unions would be involved in this process.
Plevneliev said that the government had gone but the problems remained and the forthcoming process would mean months of delay in resolving them.
Plevneliev said that he had been surprised by the Borissov government’s resignation. The politically responsible position of a government is to complete its term of office, he said.
Bulgaria’s constitution did not prevent the elimination of monopolies, Plevneliev said, referring to the key issue raised in nationwide protests and political debate.
Elsewhere in the European Union, people could choose their electricity suppliers and this could happen in Bulgaria too, he said.
Plevneliev said that the most important priority was the stability of the state.
Elections would be held as soon as possible, he said.
Bulgaria had been expected to hold elections on the first Sunday in July 2013. Among political parties currently represented in Parliament, various dates have been mooted for the ahead-of-term elections, including April 21, April 28 and May 12.
