Bulgarian President continues consultations ahead of bids by parties to form government
Bulgarian head of state President Roumen Radev met two of Parliament’s smaller parties on June 25 as part of mandatory consultations preceding the process of parliamentary groups attempting to get a government elected.
On June 24, Radev met representatives of the 50th National Assembly’s three largest groups – GERB-UDF, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF), and We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria (WCC-DB).
As Parliament’s largest group, GERB-UDF is entitled to receive the first mandate to seek to form a government, and if nothing comes of that, the MRF will receive the second mandate.
The choice of which group receives the third and final mandate is left by the constitution in the hands of the head of state.
Pro-Kremlin party Vuzrazhdane, Parliament’s fourth-largest group, is among those that want to receive the third mandate, if matters come to that.
Vuzrazhdane leader Kostadin Kostadinov reiterated that his group wants to form a government involving all parliamentary groups except GERB-UDF and the MRF.
Kostadinov said that Vuzrazhdane had held talks with “prominent figures” in WCC-DB and was continuing to do so.
However, on June 24, WCC-DB had reiterated that in this Parliament, it would remain in opposition.
BSP acting leader Atanas Zafirov told Radev that Bulgaria was “in a severe political and economic crisis” and there was no need for new elections.
On the matter of the third mandate, Zafirov said that the BSP is ready to accept responsibility if it comes to that.
BSP parliamentary leader Borislav Gutsanov said that for the party, the issue of the first and second mandates had been exhausted, but it was possible that an attempt would be made to form an “expert” government on the basis of the third mandate.
Radev’s process of consultations will conclude when he has held talks with Parliament’s two smallest groups, populist ITN and populist-nationalist Velichie.
(Photo: president.bg)
Please support The Sofia Globe’s independent journalism by becoming a subscriber to our page on Patreon:
Become a Patron!
