Democratic Bulgaria declines BSP invitation for talks on government formation
The futility of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) pursuing its mandate to seek to form a government was further underlined on August 31 when the Democratic Bulgaria coalition declined its invitation for talks.
Democratic Bulgaria coalition co-leader Hristo Ivanov told Bulgarian National Radio that the meeting was pointless, given that the BSP could not put together a majority and the meeting would be only “pre-election PR” for BSP leader Kornelia Ninova.
The BSP received on August 27 the third and final mandate to seek to form a government, after the first two mandates – handed, respectively, to Slavi Trifonov’s ITN party and Boiko Borissov’s GERB-UDF – proved fruitless.
Ninova said that the BSP would not hold talks with GERB-UDF and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, but extended invitations to what she termed the “other parties of change” – the “Rise Up Bulgaria! We’re Coming” coalition, Democratic Bulgaria and ITN.
Ninova met “Rise Up Bulgaria! We’re Coming” on August 29, with the coalition emerging to say that it would vote against any government nominated by the BSP.
ITN, which Ninova has invited for talks on Wednesday, has emphasised repeatedly that it would vote against a government proposed by the BSP. GERB-UDF also has said it would oppose a BSP-nominated government.
At the weekend, Ninova said that she would hand the mandate back between September 10 and 15, after Parliament votes on the Budget revision.
Should, as appears certain, the third mandate stage fail, the President is obliged by the constitution to dissolve the National Assembly and schedule parliamentary elections.
(Photo of Ivanov via his Facebook page)
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