site.btaPM Borissov: "A Minority Government Is Better than Diluted Broad Coalition"

PM Borissov: "A Minority Government Is Better than Diluted Broad Coalition"

Sofia, January 17 (BTA) - Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said here Tuesday that a minority government is better than "a broad diluted coalition" as it will thus be clear who runs the country and has the responsibility. The Prime Minister was speaking at the 11th Annual Government Meets the Business Conference held under the motto "Internal and External Challenges to Define the Course in 2017".

"Two years ago I made such a compromise: it was a tall order," he added.

The Prime Minister said it is "impossible" and "absurd" to have a coalition between his GERB party and the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) in the next government. "How could we have a coalition with BSP! Remove the flat tax and replace it with progressive taxation? Impossible!"

Borissov said it would make him feel more comfortable to see BSP leader Kornelia Ninova help the President-elect for a caretaker government "because this is a democratic process dictated by the election results". "I feel nervous when she is not involved," he added.

Borissov tendered his government's resignation when the GERB candidate lost the November 2016 presidential elections to the BSP-supported candidate, Rumen Radev.

He reiterated Tuesday that his was a right decision.

He went on to catalogue Bulgaria's recent achievements, including economic growth, success in fighting contraband trade and ensuring additional budget revenue of over 4 billion leva, a record-high fiscal reserve and paid out liabilities for the Belene N-plant project and electricity produced by two US-owned power plants.

He said outgoing President Rosen Plevneliev has been very successful as head of State.

In his opening remarks at the government-business meeting, President Rosen Plevneliev spoke about Bulgaria's European choice and the progress it has achieved.

He said that Bulgaria has been an island of stability, and insurmountable factor in the region and an advocate of a foreign policy based on principles.

The head of State went on to say that in more than two-thirds of the countries in the world the agenda is different: poverty, conflicts, strife, draught and disasters. "In this line of reasoning we, Bulgarian people, should be aware of how much we have achieved and how far we have gone, if we are to be able to build up on this and move foreward."

Plevneliev said that he is a "staunch European" and that the EU is not foreign policy but family to him. "I pursued a consistent pro-European policy. I did my best for a united and strong Europe, capable of overcoming crises and emerging stronger from them."

The President was speaking to an audience including representatives of the government, businesses, the European Commission, the IMF, the European Investment Fund and ambassadors. MORE