site.btaMRF Floor Leader Peevski: Russia Won Today

Speaking to reporters here on Wednesday after the Parliament voted against GERB-UDF's Rosen Zhelyazkov as prime minister, Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) Floor Leader Delyan Peevski said that "Russia won today".

A total of 138 MPs voted against Zhelyazkov, 98 MPs backed him, and 2 abstained. The only parliamentary force to vote in favour of Zhelyazkov apart from GERB-UDF was MRF, but 14 of its MPs still voted against and one abstained.

Commenting on the vote, Peevski noted that "MRF has 30 Euro-Atlantic MPs, and they will be MPs".

"Bulgaria missed a unique opportunity to have a Euro-Atlantic government," Peevski said, adding that it has already become clear that the second government-forming mandate will prove unsuccessful and GERB will not support a third one. In the MRF Floor Leader's words, the country is heading towards elections.

The second mandate is bound by Constitution to go to the second largest party in Parliament, MRF. If the second mandate does not produce a government, the third - and last mandate - will be offered to a party chosen by the head of State.