site.btaSocialist Party Wants Early General Elections

Socialist Party Wants Early General Elections

Sofia, November 13 (BTA) - The Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) will turn down a possible mandate to form a government under the present Parliament, BSP leader Kornelia Ninova said here Sunday. She was speaking at a news conference held after it transpired that the BSP-backed candidate, Roumen Radev, will be the next Bulgarian President and Prime Minister Boyko Borissov confirmed that his government is coming down due to loss of voter support.

Ninova said that BSP is consistent and has been saying all along that they will fight to become the first political force after early general elections - and then form a government.

Ninova underscored the broad support that Radev has won from the other parties' voters, including GERB, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, the United Patriots and the Reformist Bloc. She called this "voter wisdom".

The Socialist leader lashed out at Borissov for scare-mongering. "He chose himself to put the condition whereby he now has to resign after his party's candidate lost the elections," she said.

Taking a reporter's question later to assess the statesmanship of Borissov, she said he is no statesman, if he is capable of risking the political stability in his country.

Ninova congratualted Radev for a positive campaign and thanked BSP for "proving to be strong and capable of winning when led by a big cause: Bulgaria". She also thanked those who are not supporters of BSP but voted for Radev.

She urged the other parliamentary parties - including GERB - to be responsible, to continue the work of Parliament with two key tasks: adopt the national budget for 2017 and hold dialogue and change the election rules the way voters have asked.

She said she is optimistic that this will happen. It will be a test for the maturity of the political parties.