site.btaOnly GERB Declares Full Support for Meglena Kuneva's Nomination as Education Minister

Only GERB Declares Full Support for Meglena Kuneva's Nomination as Education Minister

Sofia, February (BTA) - Only the GERB party has declared full support for Deputy Prime Minister Meglena Kuneva's nomination for Minister of Education. This transpired after Kuneva held meetings with the parliamentary parties on Tuesday.

MPs of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), the Movement for Rights and Freedom (MRF), the Patriotic Front (PF), Ataka, ABV and the Civil Council of the Reformist Bloc (RB) made it clear they will not support Kuneva's bid.

On Monday, Education and Science Minister Todor Tanev submitted his resignation. The resignation came four days after Prime Minister Boyko Borissov asked Tanev to come down amid systemic problems plaguing his ministry and education in general. Kuneva was nominated by the RB last Friday to replace Tanev. It transpired Monday that the Prime Minister has accepted the nomination and will move it for parliamentary approval on Wednesday.

GERB Deputy Floor Leader Tsveta Karayancheva said that GERB will support Kuneva's candidacy. Karayancheva said that participants in GERB's meeting with the ministerial nominee were satisfied with what she said and voiced a hope that she will cope with her new tasks assisted by her colleagues.

MRF's Hassan Ademov said that his party will not support Kuneva's bid, because the government's formula is inappropriate and unacceptable for his party, regardless of who the nominee is. He said the MRF does not want to pass assessments or advice to Prime Minister Borissov about who to nominate.

Valeri Zhablyanov said that the BSP does not accept Kuneva's nomination. The left party puts down the failure to the adopted Pre-school and School Education Act, "which turned out to be very weak, just as we warned," he said. Zhablyanov said that the controversy with the draft school curricula is a result of the ill-thought enforcement of the law. "The responsibility is political and rests with the entire government. I don't see how any minister will be able to correct the law," said Zhablyanov, adding that the problem lies with its enforcement.

MP Grozdan Karadzhov of the RB's Civil Council said that the Council did not hold a meeting, but its five deputies will abstain from the vote. According to the rules of organization of RB's parliamentary group, the Civil Council is consulted for its opinion, but this did not happen. "You cannot go against the rules of your own organization and then appeal for unity and support," said Karadzhov.

Earlier on Tuesday, after a meeting of the Bloc's Executive Council, RB co-floor leader Nayden Zelenogorski voiced surprise at the decision of the Bloc's Civil Council, which he said had been illegitimate for nearly a year.

Ataka will not support Kuneva's nomination, said Ataka leader Volen Siderov. "We disapprove of her being part of the government," said Siderov, adding that Kuneva has proved that she is working against Bulgaria's interests.

ABV's Georgi Kyuchoukov said his parliamentary group will not support Kuneva's nomination because she has never worked in the field of education and does not possess necessary skills, although her other competencies should not be underestimated.

The Bulgarian Democratic Centre (BDC) and the Popular Union, both of which belong to the BDC parliamentary group, are not unanimous about Kuneva's candidacy. The BDC party will back her, said Krassimira Kovachka MP, but according to Svetlin Tanchev MP, the Popular Union finds that Kuneva is unlikely to cope with the education portfolio in addition to her duties as Deputy Prime Minister for European Policies. That is why three MPs of the Popular Union will abstain from voting on her bid. Two Popular Union members are currently away on business trips.

The PF parliamentary group will not back Kuneva, according to statements by Krassimir Karakachanov and Valeri Simeonov. The latter argued that Kuneva is not popular among "patriotic voters."

Speaking after her meeting with the PF, Kuneva said she preferred deeds over words. She said that education was an extremely important and sensitive area for all, where there was a lot of room for improvement. Kuneva voiced a hope that this will happen.