site.btaThere Is Such a People Will Immediately Return Cabinet-Forming Mandate, Party Leader Says

April 26 (BTA) - The There Is Such a People (TISP) party
will return its cabinet-forming mandate as soon as it receives
it, the party's leader Svetoslav "Slavi" Trifonov said Monday on
 Facebook. Trifonov explained in his post that his party does
not have a sufficient number of MPs or partners in order to form
 a stable cabinet.

"The political entities that offer support are pernicious,
greedy and provenly discredited. What they offer is dependence
rather than support," the TISP leader commented.

Trifonov noted that TISP's prime minister designate is world
chess champion Antoaneta Stefanova, who is a qualified economist
 and speaks five languages. Stefanova will accept the mandate
respectfully and will give it back immediately. "The law, the
Constitution and democracy enable us to make a better choice,"
Trifonov said.

After the largest group parliamentary group in the 240-seat 45th
 National Assembly elected on April 4, GERB-UDF (75th MPs),
received a cabinet-forming mandate from President Rumen Radev on
 April 20 and returned it on April 23, under the Constitution
the head of State is bound to ask TISP, which has the second
largest number of MPs (51), to try to put together a government.
 If their prime minister designate is also unsuccessful within
seven days, the President will mandate a third parliamentary
group of his choice to do so within the same time limit. Failing
 this, Radev will have to dissolve the National Assembly and
appoint a caretaker cabinet to prepare and hold early
parliamentary elections within two months.

"We expected TISP to assume responsibility for forming a
cabinet," Atanassova reacted to the decision, talking to
journalists.

In her opinion, Trifonov's arguments are "illogical",
considering that all parliamentary parties have pledged support.
 GERB regards the refusal to try and put together a government
as "evasion of responsibility".

Outgoing Prime Minister and GERB leader Boyko Borissov said
during a meeting that was livestreamed on Facebook: "Mr Trifonov
 should better go and take his mandate and explain what he is
going to do, which ministers he will appoint and why he cannot
govern with 165 MPs," referring to the aggregate number of seats
 held by the parliamentary parties that have promised to back a
TISP cabinet if formed.

"With all due respect, if Antoaneta Stefanova is prime minister,
 she will consult MP Trifonov about every issue," Borissov
commented.

The leadership of the Bulgarian Socialist Party held a meeting
later on Monday to discuss the new situation and adopted a
position paper saying that with the return of the exploratory
mandate TISP thwarts an opportunity to dismantle the Borissov
model, throws the country into chaos and paves the way to GERB's
 comeback to power.

Democratic Bulgaria are yet to consider an official position,
possible on Tuesday. The Movement for Rights and Freedoms
reportedly said they are not going to comment Trifonov's refusal
 to try to form a government. Rise Up! Thugs Out! floor leader
Maya Manolov said that they expect to hear TISP's motives for
making that decision and that her coalition does not expect to
be offered the third mandate beause they are the smallest party
in Parliament. RY/LG/LN/
//