site.btaComments on Potential Denkov-Gabriel Cabinet

GERB-UDF Floor Leader Desislava Atanasova said in a Sunday interview for Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) that, in the name of the country's stability and development, her coalition will support the Cabinet proposed by Nikolay Denkov and Mariya Gabriel on June 2.

Atanasova stated that while forming a majority that backs the government was difficult, GERB-UDF's priority was to form a long-term regular government, which will fight to introduce a judicial and constitutional reform, as well as work towards Bulgaria joining Schengen and the euro area.

Asked whether GERB-UDF and Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) will govern together until the local elections with the goal of limiting President Rumen Radev's influence and then split, Atanasova said that there are no such plans. She added: "We said before the last elections that the only ones with whom we would form a majority to govern together are CC and DB. We share a common responsibility, we are not in coalition with them, rather we make it possible to fulfil the second mandate".

CC-DB Co-Floor Leader Atanas Atanasov told BNR that given the status quo and the distribution of seats in parliament, this is the only way to form a majority to elect government. Atanasov recalled that both Denkov and Gabriel will step down, if the government fails to work on the programme. According to Atanasov, if a regular government fails to be formed. "President Radev's rule will continue, which we believe would be detrimental to the state both in foreign and domestic political terms".

The Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) will decide how to vote on the Denkov-Gabriel Cabinet after the second mandate is returned to President Radev, the party's press service said on Sunday.

Hamid Hamid of the MRF said on Saturday that CC and DB reached out to the MRF to discuss the constitutional reform. According to Hamid, there is no way for the MRF to support this Cabinet, as the only Cabinet member that the MRF trusts is Gabriel.

MRF Chair Mustafa Karadayi told reporters on Saturday that his party will take part in the constitutional reforms and will not hinder the cabinet-forming process.