Tensions between Bulgaria’s two major coalitions amid speculation about proposed government

Media reports purporting to show the line-up of the We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria’s proposed government led to tensions on April 28 amid the already complex relations between Bulgaria’s two main coalitions.

The reports claimed that WCC-DB intended nominating Nikolai Denkov as Prime Minister, WCC co-leaders Kiril Petkov and Assen Vassilev as Deputy Prime Ministers, and DB co-leader Atanas Atanassov as Interior Minister.

Reacting, GERB-UDF leader Boiko Borissov called for an expert government and for politicians to step back.

Borissov said that if Petkov and Vassilev were candidate ministers, GERB would put forward its own “iconic figures”.

“I stepped back from the front row to give a chance for a government. In my opinion, Kiril Petkov and Assen Vasilev should also step back to give a chance to a four-year expert government,” Borissov said.

“If Petkov and Vassilev take part in a government, we will offer the participation of our iconic figures – Tomislav Donchev, Delyan Dobrev and others,” he said.

“If we agree on a Budget and a governance programme, and if we set aside emotions, we can reach an understanding about the nominees,” Borissov said.

Petkov told reporters in Parliament that until May 2, WCC-DB would not comment on the names of possible participants in a government nominated with the second mandate – which would go to WCC-DB as Parliament’s second-largest group.

Any names floating around currently in regard to a government were just rumours, Petkov said.

“Until next Tuesday, any names you will hear are just rumours. We are currently in the process of making political decisions with all the bodies of our parties in our coalition. This process will not end by next Tuesday. Until then, we will not deal with no rumours, no names, and we won’t conform to other people’s schedules. Thank you,” said Petkov, who declined to take questions.

WCC-DB’s Daniel Lorer declined to comment on rumours and said that the two coalitions were yet to discuss proposed ministers.

WCC-DB’s Andrei Gyurov told 24 Chassa in an interview that an expert government was not a viable option and the Cabinet should be composed of politicians.

For a stable future for Bulgaria, there should be a broad Euro-Atlantic coalition government, but such a coalition was not currently viable, Gyurov was quoted as saying.

The supposed line-up of a government to be nominated by WCC-DB also was rejected on Friday by Vuzrazhdane, the Bulgarian Socialist Party and Parliament’s smallest group, ITN.

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