Bulgaria: GERB-UDF resumes talks on a government, but without Democratic Bulgaria
Boiko Borissov’s GERB-UDF has resumed negotiations on a government, the coalition confirmed on January 8, but only with the Bulgarian Socialist Party – United Left and ITN parliamentary groups and not including Democratic Bulgaria.
On January 5, GERB-UDF “terminated” negotiations, seeking to put the blame on Democratic Bulgaria for refusing to accept the nomination of GERB-UDF’s Rossen Zhelyakov as candidate Prime Minister.
The January 8 statement on Facebook by GERB-UDF said that the decision of its executive committee was to continue to put forward Zhelyazkov as candidate PM, and also named him to head the negotiating team.
Zhelyazkov and his team would accept talks with Democratic Bulgaria if it expressed readiness to support regular governance of Bulgaria with Zhelyazkov as candidate PM.
GERB-UDF made Borislav Sarafov a bargaining chip in its move, eight days before the Supreme Judicial Council is to elect a Prosecutor-General, a post Sarafov currently holds in an acting capacity and for which he is the sole candidate.
GERB-UDF is offering support for amendments to the Electoral Code and the Judiciary Act – the latter to block Sarafov – if Democratic Bulgaria supports Zhelyazkov.
In a statement on January 8, Democratic Bulgaria confirmed its position that the choice of the nomination for Prime Minister and the composition of the Cabinet should be discussed at a leadership meeting after reaching a final agreement on the governance agreement.
Democratic Bulgaria called on the GERB-UDF parliamentary group not to delay the adoption of the amendments to the Judiciary Act at first reading in the day’s sitting of Parliament.
“The rule of law cannot be a bargaining chip in political negotiations on the formation of a Cabinet,” Democratic Bulgaria said.
In insisting that a coalition agreement be negotiated first, the statement by Democratic Bulgaria did not explicitly rule out endorsing Zhelyazkov.
Speaking in the National Assembly at the start of the day’s sitting, BSP – United Left parliamentary group co-leader Atanas Zafirov said while the constitution allows Parliament to continue functioning even during the term of a caretaker government, Bulgaria needed a regular government.
(Archive photo from earlier talks: GERB’s Facebook page)
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