site.btaDeputy PM Simeonov Comments Ruling Coalition's Stability

Dobrich, Northeast Bulgaria, July 29 (BTA) - "There is noting better than the political stability in our homeland, especially at a time when everything around is shaking, changing, and even the EU's existence is under question," Deputy Prime Minister Valeri Simeonov, who co-chairs the United Patriots power-sharing coalition, told journalists here Sunday. He was asked to comment the relations within the coalition.

He said that the coalition partners have decided during the coalition council this week that personal issues and differences must be overcome for Bulgaria's sake.

Tensions within the power-sharing United Patriots coalition escalated earlier in the week into mutual recriminations of lobbyism between Ataka's leader Volen Siderov and National Front for Salvation's leader and Deputy PM Valeri Simeonov in connection with a number of legislative proposals, the latest of which would have spared the owners of the shipbuilding company Navibulgar 58 million leva in penalties for undelivered commitments.

"We can't offer anything better to our homeland than stability. In the name of this stability, we decided to quell our differences, disagreements, etc.," Simeonov commented.

The Deputy PM also commented the inspections related to noise levels, explaining that this is not a personal battle of his, but a battle for observing the law. Anyone who believes they can disturb the silence after 11:00 pm, insult the peace and right to rest of their fellow citizens and foreign tourists, is breaking the law, he said.

Simeonov paid respects to Lt. Gen. Ivan Kolev's monument in Dobrich on the occasion of his 101th death anniversary.