site.btaPM Borissov Refutes Disagreements with Coalition Partners

Sofia, September 26 (BTA) - "We've never had disagreements with our partners from United Patriots. We held a coalition council because Deputy Prime Minister Valeri Simeonov and I kept working all summer, while the others were on holiday and there was slight tension in this respect," said Prime Minister Boyko Borissov on Tuesday. He was speaking after a scheduled meeting with large tobacco companies.

Borissov said that Simeonov had been criticized for a social media post that the head of the agency for construction supervision will be replaced. According to Borissov, Regional Development Minister Nikolai Nankov should have made the news public after informing the Council of Ministers.

"I want more than anybody else for police officers, firemen, teachers, servicemen and pensioners to have higher incomes. When we see what the revenues are, we'll think about police officers," said Borissov, taking a question whether wages in the security sector will be increased.

Approached about upcoming protests by police officers from January, Borissov said that he had never worked under pressure and added that he would meet with the trade unions whenever they wanted in order to show them the financial parameters.

The Prime Minister said that more money should be allocated for police officers within the judiciary, as well as for ambulances and orderlies but that it couldn't happen all at once. Borissov said that together with the ministers for defence and the interior he will see the available resources for increasing the budget of the ministries.