site.btaPatriotic Front, Prime Minister Discuss Support for Government

Patriotic Front, Prime Minister Discuss Support for Government

Sofia, July 2 (BTA) - A meeting between Prime Minister Boyko
Borissov and the leaders of the Patriotic Front (PF), Valeri
Simeonov and Krassimir Karakachanov, Thursday discussed for
nearly two hours seven points raised by the Patriotic Front in
return for support of the government on the part of the
formation. Reporters learned details from the talks from
Simeonov, who confirmed that the formation's decision will be
announced on Friday.

The meeting was held a day after the expiration of a one-month
notice in which the PF set seven conditions for the government
to meet before July 1 if it is to continue to enjoy PF's
support. The conditions include urgent measures against
conventional crime; a vote on PF-proposed revisions to the
Elections Code (including one to make voting mandatory or at
least introduce a requirement for voter registration, and
harsher sanctions against vote buying); extension of the fence
along the border with Turkey as a deterrent against illegal
entries in Bulgaria; a commitment not to increase electricity
prices; legislative measures to crack down on illegal timber
harvesting; and making institutional decisions to solve the
problems of expatriate Bulgarians.

Attending Thursday's talks were Deputy Prime Minister Roumyana
Buchvarova, Finance Minister Vladislav Goranov and GERB floor
leader Tsvetan Tsvetanov.

Karakachanov said the PF are aware that some of the measures
could not be resolved quickly but stressed that the formation
wants to see actions in respect of some of the issues such as
the problem with conventional crime, for example.