Impasse on talks between Bulgaria’s two largest coalitions continues
The impasse on talks between Bulgaria’s coalitions that won the two largest shares of seats in the October elections is continuing, leaving in question whether the 51st National Assembly will be able to elect a government.
GERB-UDF leader Boiko Borissov, whose coalition won the largest share of seats – 69 in the 240-member Parliament – has spoken of the possibility of a ruling majority with the second-largest group, We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria (37 MPs), the Bulgarian Socialist Party – United Left (20 MPs) and populist ITN (18 MPs).
WCC-DB has been seeking as its key priority the formal isolation of Delyan Peevski, sanctioned by the US and UK for corruption, and insists that Borissov commit himself to this isolation.
Borissov has been insisting on the election of a Speaker coming from his coalition. Over three days of the first sitting of the 51st National Assembly, GERB-UDF has got no support for its candidate, Raya Nazaryan, and nor has any other group. The first sitting is to continue on November 20.
Borissov previously has made the election of a Speaker from his group a condition for proceeding to negotiations. He also has insisted that he be GERB-UDF’s candidate Prime Minister, a position rejected by WCC-DB, BSP – United Left and ITN.
At a news conference on November 18, Borissov accused WCC-DB of not wanting a government to be formed.
He said that negotiations with WCC-DB could take place only if that coalition announced that it wanted a cabinet formed.
Borissov was apparently irked by WCC-DB co-leader Assen Vassilev, asked by bTV on November 18 whether WCC-DB wanted to govern with GERB-UDF, saying “no”.
“Assen Vassilev cut off all our childhood dreams,” said Borisov ironically, going on to accuse WCC-DB of wanting to put the blame on GERB-UDF for heading to yet another early parliamentary election.
Borissov was adamant that there will be no leadership meetings: “Why should there be leadership meetings? We invite them for a conversation, but they say ‘Borissov cannot be Prime Minister’.”
He said that should Nazaryan be elected Speaker, she would not agree to be caretaker PM.
The 2023 amendments to the constitution created a limited list of office-bearers that may be appointed caretaker Prime Minister, including the Speaker of the National Assembly.
“I have signed a public statement that I will not govern with the Movement for Rights and Freedoms – New Beginning,” said Borissov, who earlier also has ruled out a governing coalition with the Ahmed Dogan faction of the MRF, and with pro-Russian party Vuzrazhdane and populist-nationalist Mech.
GERB-UDF’s Denitsa Sacheva told the briefing that the executive council that there would be leaders talks “which will only take place if they are about the formation of a ruling majority and abou a regular government”.
Borissov said that if there was a government with anyone but him as Prime Minister “it will be eaten to shreds instantly”.
“If I am Prime Minister by December 12, Bulgaria can enter both the euro zone and Schengen,” he said.
In a Facebook post on November 14, WCC-DB co-leader Kiril Petkov wrote: “GERB come up with many reasons not to talk to us, but there is only one truth: they cannot actually give up Peevski.”
At the close of last week, WCC-DB’s Nadezhda Yordanova said that if it was true that Borissov had signed to isolate Peevski, there should be no obstacle to negotiations.
It also emerged that GERB-UDF had proposed to WCC-DB for lawyers representing each coalition to meet to negotiate a legislative programme that the leaders would then endorse, but WCC-DB has responded by continuing to insist that the process instead starts with a leaders meeting.
(Screenshot from Borissov’s Facebook page on November 18. From left: Yordanka Fandukova, Tomislav Donchev, Borissov, Sacheva)
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