site.btaMRF Leader on Alleged Ambition to Become PM: It Is the People Who Decide Who Governs

One of the two leaders of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF), Delyan Peevski, addressed reporters' questions about his alleged ambition to become prime minister in Parliament on Tuesday, saying that it is the people who determine who gets to govern. Peevski's comments come after Continue the Change (CC) co-leader Assen Vassilev told Nova TV on Sunday that he had been told of a plan involving GERB leader Boyko Borissov retiring from politics by becoming president and Peevski becoming prime minister.

Peevski said: "Assen Vassilev has personally asked me to support him to become deputy prime minister. He dreamed of being not just a minister, so that he could govern effectively, per his words. And his cherished dream was to become prime minister after [former deputy prime minister and foreign minister] Mariya Gabriel, to have [former prime minister Nikolay] Denkov removed at the next rotation, so that he [Vassilev] would be prime minister."

Peevski also spoke about a conversation he had with Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) Co-Chair Hristo Ivanov. Peevski said that Ivanov shared his ambitions to become president, for which he believed he needed support from the MRF. Peevski quoted Ivanov as saying: "It is important to eliminate CC and be the sole leader of the Right, then I can become president. I propose that you, Mr Peevski, become prime minister." The MRF co-leader added that another MRF MP, Jordan Tzonev, was present during this conversation.