site.btaLeft: GERB and BSP Cannot Form Steady Majority

127 POLITICS - BSP - PLENUM

Left: GERB and BSP
Cannot Form Steady
Majority


Sofia, October 10 (BTA) - The Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) -
Left Bulgaria coalition is the second largest political force
having won 39 seats and, along with the ones of GERB, they do
not make a steady majority, BSP Spokesman Atanas Merdzhanov
commented before journalists at the party's plenum on Friday.

"The will of the Bulgarian electorate has been that we should be
in opposition. However, this does not mean that we will refuse
to discuss the situation, related to the condition of the
country, the economy and the financial system," said Merdzhanov.

He added that they are even ready to discuss a National Assembly
declaration on the main problems facing the country and the
future government.

Asked whether, as an opposition, they would support a GERB
Cabinet, the Spokesman said that it is very important what kind
of cabinet it would be, whether it would be a minority Cabinet
and whether it would be supported by the Right-of-centre MPs.

The team for the talks with GERB will be led by BSP Deputy Chair
Yanaki Stoilov. Zahari Georgiev and Atanas Merdzhanov will also
be in the team. They have been mandated mainly to stress the
problematic situation surrounding the 43rd National Assembly,
said Merdzhanov. The mandate is very clear and is based on the
election programme and platform of the coalition.

The meeting of the BSP National Council discussing the election
results and the upcoming talks with GERB has been going on for
over four hours now. The BSP Spokesman said that there will
probably be changes in the Executive Bureau and that the new
lineup will be clear in two weeks' time.

Participants in the plenum said that this time the socialists
are not blaming their loss on anyone but themselves.
Calculations showed that each BSP member has attracted not more
than two or three voters. There were also opinions that the
reason for BSPТs defeat is the party of former president (and
former BSP leader) Georgi Purvanov, ABV, which managed to enter
Parliament with 4 per cent, as well as the Movement 21 of former
left MP Tatyana Doncheva.

The BSP said that they are positive about changes in the
Election Code as it contains certain shortcomings. /LI/TK, BR/