site.btaGERB Leader Borissov Ready to Form Cabinet Alone if Reformist Bloc Refuse to Be Part of Minority Government

GERB Leader Borissov Ready to Form Cabinet Alone if Reformist Bloc Refuse to
Be Part of Minority Government

Sofia, October 29 (BTA) - GERB leader Boyko Borissov said he is
ready to submit a cabinet line up in Parliament if the Reformist
Bloc (RB) refuse to be part of a minority government, he told
journalists in Parliament Wednesday after a series of meetings
held between European People's Party (EPP) President Joseph Daul
and political forces in the Bulgarian Parliament - first with
GERB and the RB together, then with the Bulgarian Socialist
Party, ABV and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms. Borissov
attended all of Daul's meetings.

The EPP President called for the quick formation of a government
in Bulgaria, with support so that the suspended EU funds could
be resumed. This government, in his words, should be a
Centre-right one with Borissov as the prime minister, with whom
the EPP is working very well.

"If I had 121 MPs, I would not have been asking anyone, but we
currently have 84 and this is why, despite everything we have
said to each other before, if the other parties want to - they
can support these programmes. My commitment to the EPP is to
submit a cabinet. If we sign a coalition with the RB, I will
table it, and if we don't, I will submit only GERB's," Borissov
said.

GERB's leader is not afraid that he will depend on the RB. GERB
and the RB have confirmed before Daul that over 90 per cent of
their programmes overlap. Borissov guaranteed that of GERB and
the RB form a government, the payment of EU funds will be
resumed in its full capacity.

Borissov further said that he does not accept some of the
Patriotic Front's (PF) priorities, such as introducing mandatory
Bulgarian language exams for six-year-olds, as well as aiming
NATO missiles towards Turkey and Greece. This does not
correspond to the Euroatlantic orientation and would bring
Bulgaria into a serious conflict, while, on the other hand, it
had already evoked negative reactions from many European
diplomats in Bulgaria, Borissov said. The GERB leader added
that, given this situation, he has proposed to either schedule
new elections immediately or form a coalition between GERB and
the RB, with support for the government in different areas from
other parties.

Borissov sees two options for the PF - either they stand behind
their leader's words and then GERB can sign documents with them,
or they support the government in the areas they have agreed on
- revising the energy sector, electing a State Energy and Water
Regulatory Commission with two thirds of the MPs in Parliament.


A stable Centre-right government is needed, so that Bulgaria can
grow economically, socially and get back Europe's trust, Joseph
Daul said. According to him, a cabinet must be formed in
consensus with the other parties in Parliament. The guest said
he is not here to point out ministers or how broad the coalition
should be, adding that work is needed in areas, such as the
energy sector, the rule of law and the banking system. Following
his meetings in Parliament, the EPP President said he is
convinced that the next government will be very united.

Asked how the his party would look at a cabinet, which includes
a nationalist formation, such as the PF, Daul said that as EPP
President he can not support unacceptable statements. Some
political parties, including the EPP, also voiced similar
opinions and one can not expect support from the EPP President,
Daul said.

Earlier in the day, Joseph Daul conferred with Parliament Chair
Tsetska Tsacheva, the National Assembly said.

The EPP President said he is in Bulgaria to send the message
that this country must have a stable government as soon as
possible, which would serve the citizens and bring calm. Daul
wished Tsacheva that the Bulgarian Parliament has a majority
which can make this happen.

Tsacheva familiarized Daul with the first steps which the 43rd
National Assembly is taking. "Already at the start of the
political consultations, we fostered a new style and tone of
communication and I really hope that this spirit of
constructivism for our country's well-being continues in the
Legislature as well," Tsacheva said.