site.btaBoyko Borissov: GERB Won't Rule with MRF's Support

Boyko Borissov: GERB
Won't Rule with MRF's
Support


Sofia, October 10 (BTA) - GERB leader Boyko Borissov told a news
conference on Friday that his party would not rule and form a
government with support from the Movement for Rights and
Freedoms (MRF). He said that no branch of his party would
support a coalition government with the MRF. "From now on it is
up to the MRF to determine its course," said Borissov.

GERB is glad to see that more Bulgarian Muslims voted for it,
said Borissov, adding that this would guarantee ethnic peace. "I
hope the MRF will show common sense in playing on ethnic
tolerance and stability before it provokes uncontrollable
reactions in Bulgarian society," he said.

"The Bulgarians want to see if unity makes strength, if we can
reach agreement," said Borissov, referring to the motto
inscribed on the Parliament building. GERB won the October 5
parliamentary elections hands down; the second and third
political forces, put together, won fewer votes than GERB. All
the same, the resulting parliament generates instability, he
said. "The one thing that would be worse than not forming a
cabinet is forming an unprincipled one," Borissov said. The
formation of a cabinet will require compromise from GERB as well
as from all other parties.

Borissov said a government at any cost would be worse than no
government at all because it would fall apart in a month. If a
government is to be formed, it should be a coalition government,
with shared responsibility of the ministers, otherwise it would
be pointless.

He commented that he could not form a minority government with
84 MPs. Even the Reformist Bloc's 23 seats would not be enough
for GERB to form a minority government. Borissov said it would
be very hard for a minority government to run the country faced
with tough times and decisions. "If we cannot reach agreement,
we will hold new elections, I just want us to spare no effort,"
he commented.

Borissov said that Tsvetan Tsvetanov would not be interior
minister as he had said many times before. Tsvetanov was
interior minister of the GERB cabinet in 2009-2013.

Asked about the likelihood of Dimiter Nikolov becoming prime
minister, Borissov said GERB has at least 15 or 20 people who
can take this post, but the prime minister must also bear
political responsibility. "We wholeheartedly respect, trust and
support Nikolov, that is why he is one of GERB's deputy
leaders," said Borissov.

According to Borissov, Radan Kanev, leader of the Democrats for
Strong Bulgaria of the Reformist Bloc coalition, actually
suggested that GERB's leader should head behind-the-scenes
politics: "He and I would be sitting in Parliament and the
ministers and prime ministers would keep running to us to be
told what to do." Borissov said this had been done before and
Plamen Oresharski had done exactly this. "I will not be involved
in behind-the-scenes politics," said Borissov.

GERB will talk with all the parliamentary forces. "We will see
what the other parties think about stability, the new
parliament's first steps, a possible replacement of the central
bank's Governor, a budget update, and a solution to the problem
with Corporate Commercial Bank," said Borissov.

Borissov said that GERB's team which will hold talks with the
other parliamentary forces (Tsetska Tsacheva, Menda Stoyanova
and Roumyana Buchvarova) can make decisions on the spot during
the talks, as well as making compromise.

Given the results, GERB's candidate Tsetska Tsacheva should be
elected Parliament Chairperson, Borissov said.

Asked if he has an ambition to become President, Borissov said
that he had been asked this question for 15 years since he
became the Interior Ministry's chief secretary. He said: "Given
that I consider it right for the leader of the election winner
to become prime minister so he can bear the political
responsibility for decision-making in this dire situation means
that I have no ambitions whatsoever."

This is the first time GERB has won the same number of votes in
the over-60 age group as the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP),
GERB deputy leader Tsvetan Tsvetanov said. GERB prevailed in all
other age groups. The party had a phenomenal success in the
villages, which used to be largely dominated by the BSP. GERB
won a victory in 25 out of 27 regional capitals, and in 26 out
of 31 multi-member constituencies.

Tsvetanov also said that GERB won 38 per cent of the votes of
both people with higher education and with secondary education,
while losing ground among people with primary and lower
education, where the MRF and the BSP are the leaders.

GERB won a compelling victory in Belgium, Greece, the US,
Germany, France, Spain, Italy and Israel, and lost ground only
in Turkey, said Tsvetanov. Over 50 per cent of voters in
Britain, Spain, Italy and the US voted GERB. PK/DD