site.bta Three Reformist Bloc Parties Invite GERB to Talks on Nominating President Plevneliev for Re-election

Three Reformist Bloc Parties Invite GERB to Talks on Nominating President Plevneliev for Re-election

Sofia, May 19 (BTA) - Democrats for Strong Bulgaria (DSB), the Freedom and Dignity People's Party, the Bulgarian National Agrarian Union and the Public Board of the Reformist Bloc (RB) invited Prime Minister and GERB leader Boyko Borissov to talks towards "broad, Centre-Right and pro-European support" for nominating  President Rosen Plevneliev for re-election, but this time as an independent candidate.

Plevneliev was elected in 2012 as a candidate of the ruling GERB party.

Presidential elections are due this autumn but GERB have said nothing to suggest that they want the current president for a second term.

The initiative for the talks was made public by MP Grozdan Karadjov. He said it was a proof of their responsibility to the nation.

In a comment for the press earlier in the day Karadjov described Plevneliev as a deterrent for the Russian influence in Bulgaria. "Plevneliev is one of the most forthright speakers in Eastern Europe who exposes the essence and interests of Russia and the way these interests are pushed through in Bulgaria," he said.

If Plevneliev refuses to stand for re-election, an opportunity will open up for dialogue on a different nominee, Karadjov added.

He urged GERB to "take the baton", carefully consider the proposal for talks and choose dialogue with the opposition-minded formations in the Reformist Bloc.

Late last week (DSB) called for an alliance of Right-wing forces in Bulgaria to support the nomination of President Rosen Plevneliev as an independent candidate for re-election, and urged GERB, being the largest Right-wing formation,  to "provide a political back" for this project. The call prompted angry reactions, including by Plevneliev himself, Prime Minister Borissov and GERB floor leader Tsvetan Tsvetanov.

On Thursday, DSB and two more Reformist Bloc formations took their project  a step further because, to use Karajov's words, the present Head of State has proven to be "the last power-holding guarantor of a political course of development for Bulgaria, which must not change".

DSB leader Radan Kanev said it is clear that without GERB there cannot be a majority to support such a presidential candidate.

He dismissed suggestions that DSB was trying "to attach itself to GERB" for the upcoming presidential elections.

"This is an attempt to have presidential elections which provide a platform for a conversation about national interests, the geo-political orientation of Bulgaria and the powers of the President in defence and justice - not a competition among parties," said Kanev.

He added that they are realists and are well aware that such a conversation is impossible without GERB.   

In a commentary for the press, Tsvetan Tsvetanov said that the Reformist Bloc had the wrong approach to seeking support for a common nominee. "When you want to visit somebody, you first knock on their door or give them a call. Or if you meet them in the street you first apologize for all the [nasty] things you have said about them in the past months and tell them that the situation was different then but things have changed and it is now clear that nothing good is in store for this country without them and that is why you want to be with them again," said Tsvetanov.

He reiterated GERB's plan to name its own candidate for the presidential elections "in the coming months" and said that when this is done, other political parties will be free to support this candidate.

Tsvetanov also said that he met with Prime Minister Borissov Thursday and they only discussed the Wednesday vote against the presidential veto on the Election Code revisions and the need to prioritize a bill on fighting high-level corruption.