site.btaPM Denkov: Normally, Political Discussions Start with Clash of Ideas, Parties Sit at Negotiating Table After

It is normal that when a political discussion on important issues is initiated, it starts with a head-on clash of ideas, with a lot of emotions and a sense of impasse, Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov said at the beginning of the regular government meeting on Thursday regarding the governance memorandum offered by Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) to GERB-UDF earlier this week. But it is also normal, after the first clash, for the parties to come to the negotiating table and find those common mechanisms and solutions that will achieve the common goals identified, he added.

“Almost nine months this government has been working and there are results because of the fact that we all showed that we can hold a dialogue,” Denkov noted. “It is important to move forward so that every week we can make confident steps towards the European development of this Bulgaria where we want to live together, the Prime Minister stressed.

On Tuesday, CC-DB offered their power-sharing partner GERB-UDF a memorandum setting the main goals of the Government.

On Wednesday, GERB leader Boyko Borissov turned down the offer, calling it "immature and unacceptable". Later in the day, Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mariya Gabriel also stated that she will not sign the memorandum. CC co-leader Kiril Petkov told reporters in Parliament the memorandum was "not an ultimatum but an open position leading to agreement," which sets out key governance priorities for the next nine months concerning the regulators, judicial reform and the security services.