site.btaGERB-UDF Deputy Chair Hristov Sceptical about Adopting State Budget, Forming Government

GERB-UDF Deputy Chair Roumen Hristov expressed skepticism about the possibility of National Assembly adopting next year's State Budget before the end of 2024. In an interview on the Bulgarian National Television on Monday, he pointed to "the pre-election atmosphere in the air" as the reason.

"I am very worried about the adoption of such a Budget because populist sentiments will be very strong," Hristov said. He argued that there is a need for a more restrictive budget. "It will show what our intentions to Brussels," he added. 

"I am not optimistic about the formation of a government," the GERB-UDF Deputy Chair said. "We will get a [government-forming] mandate as the first political force, we will start talks with the ambition to start a government, whether it will be for a four-year government or two, three years, we will see," Hristov noted.

He added that GERB-UDF have stated their formula - GERB-UDF, Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB), There Is Such a People and Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) as a possible supporting political force. "Colleagues from CC-DB are constantly making arguments and conditions and from this point of view I am not optimistic about [the formation of] a government," Hristov said.

He also commented on whether GERB-UDF will insist on nominating Boyko Borissov for prime minister and on dominating the potential cabinet, pointing out that both are valid. "If we start negotiations other options can be discussed," Hristov said, adding that it is logical for the coalition to dominate the cabinet lineup. "We insist that the political persons who will enter the government will be responsible, he stressed. 

"We changed the constitution with the aim to limit [President] Rumen Radev's control during the caretaker governments, at the same time we accepted a person close to him as National Assembly Chair," Hristov further said. He added it was only natural not to support Nataliya Kiselova as the BSP nominee for Parliament chair. "This is an ideological position that we have been defending for 35 years," the GERB-UDF Deputy Chair argued.