site.btaAll Reformist Bloc Leaders Except Kanev Reaffirm Participation in Ruling Coalition

All Reformist Bloc Leaders Except Kanev Reaffirm Participation in Ruling Coalition

Sofia, December 15 (BTA) - The Reformist Bloc leaders except Radan Kanev of the Democrats for Strong Bulgaria (DSB) on Tuesday reaffirmed their participation in the government coalition and their support for the ministers named by the Bloc.

The declaration was issued after a three-hour meeting of the Executive Council attended by the leaders of the parties making up the Bloc and the five ministers nominated by the right wing. The Bloc stated it is starting negotiations with GERB on Tuesday to review and assess achievements and update the coalition agreement and the schedule for its implementation. The DSB stated that its position remained unchanged.

After the passage of constitutional amendments on a second of three readings on December 9, Justice Minister Hristo Ivanov resigned and the DSB withdrew its confidence in the government and quit the majority in Parliament. Radan Kanev said this move had been prompted by GERB's backtracking on changes to the Constitution agreed earlier.

The media heard the declaration but had no comments from the five leaders: Bozhidar Loukarski (Union of Democratic Forces), Meglena Kuneva (Bulgaria for the Citizens Movement, BCM), Korman Ismailov (Freedom and Dignity Party), Nikolay Nenchev (Bulgarian Agrarian National Union) and Borislav Velikov (Bulgarian New Democracy). DSB leader Radan Kanev and his deputy Atanas Atanassov left after the meeting without talking to the media.

Kuneva's BCM party said on Monday it was drafting a declaration in support of the government and would table it to the rest of the Reformist Bloc. It sets a six-month deadline for achieving results in several priority areas.

"We are concerned about the lack of unity of action in the ruling coalition on key reform policies such as the judicial reform and anti-corruption legislation," the declaration said.