Ninova: Bulgarian Socialist Party will remain in coalition government
The Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) will continue to be part of the coalition government, party leader Kornelia Ninova said on May 1, after several days of repeatedly threatening to quit the ruling majority if the government approves supplying weapons to Ukraine.
Ninova, speaking at a Labour Day celebration, said: “We will continue in the government to support a new increased minimum wage, recalculation of all pensions, support for Bulgarian plants and factories – to be able to pay for electricity and new gas prices”.
She said that the BSP wanted support for Bulgarian agricultural producers “so that the Bulgarian fertile land can feed the Bulgarian people. This is our mission in the government of the Republic of Bulgaria”.
“And you can count on us to continue with this policy – in defence of the Bulgarian economy and industry, Bulgarian jobs,” Ninova said.
She said that in three extremely difficult months “we managed, with joint efforts, to freeze electricity prices for household consumers and families, to increase the minimum wage, to increase maternity, to provide free kindergartens for children, to increase food vouchers from 80 to 200 leva, and with them to be able to pay household expenses, to help hospitals in remote places and make them protected”.
“But inflation is rising and what we have done is not enough,” she said.
“Perhaps understandably, war is the focus of our attention. Many want weapons for Ukrainians. We want bread for the Bulgarians.
“We want peace. We want jobs for Bulgarian factories, jobs for Bulgarian workers, decent incomes for these people, high pensions. That is why our journey will continue,” Ninova said.
Within Bulgaria’s quadripartite ruling majority, the Kiril-Petkov We Continue the Change (WCC) party, ITN and Democratic Bulgaria are in favour supplying military equipment to Ukraine, while the BSP is opposed, with Ninova reiterating that opposition – yet again – on May 1.
A coalition council that had been scheduled for the evening of May 1 to discuss the arms-to-Ukraine issue has been postponed to May 3. Previous coalition council meetings on the issue have proved fruitless.
Bulgaria’s Parliament is scheduled to discuss proposals to supply military equipment to Ukraine at a special sitting set down for May 4.
(Photo: BSP)
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