site.btaReformist Bloc Returns Cabinet-forming Mandate

Reformist Bloc Returns Cabinet-forming Mandate

Sofia, December 21 (BTA) - The parliamentary group of the Reformist Bloc (RB) Wednesday returned to President Rosen Plevneliev the last mandate for forming a cabinet during the present Parliament's term.

After a series of consultations between the Bloc, GERB and the Patriotic Front, it emerged on Tuesday that this Parliament cannot elect a cabinet and early elections will have to be held.

Rumen Hristov, deputy leader of the Union of Democratic Forces, an RB member, said that although the Bloc spared no effort, the parties failed to reach agreement and could not name a prime minister in a week as required by the Constitution.

Plevneliev thanked the RB for their efforts, saying that they held talks in Parliament before the nation's eyes. He deplored the talks' failure to produce the result he was hoping for, and said this opened the way for early parliamentary elections.

Hristov commented that the RB wanted to maintain the stability needed to implement the programme for Bulgaria's EU Presidency in the first half of 2018. "We were very close to forming a cabinet but we failed to agree on its programme," he said, declining to mention any differences. Everything had to be done to ensure that the democratic community would continue to run the country, said Hristov, adding that the RB is united and expects to do well in next year's elections.

Hristov said: "I do not think there are good days ahead for Bulgaria, we are in for a winter with Siberian cold. The future will show if we are right."

He added that the RB held talks in the most transparent manner without any backstage dealing. He refuted allegations of foot-dragging because anyway, elections cannot be held right now. A date for them can be scheduled after Parliament is dissolved, and by Constitution the outgoing President cannot do this in the last three months of his term. The talks had no effect on the timing of early elections, said Hristov. Commenting on the allegation that the point of the talks was to keep the government in office a little longer, he said six days made no difference to a government which had already worked for two years and one month.