site.btaPresident Holds Cabinet-forming Consultations with CC-DB, GERB-UDF Groups

President Rumen Radev Tuesday began consultations with representatives of the parliamentary groups ahead of mandating the largest of them to form a government, as required under the Constitution. Tuesday's consultations were with the largest group, GERB-UDF, and with the second largest, Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB).

GERB-UDF working on all options to form government

At their meeting, Radev said GERB-UDF emerged once again as the number one political force in the October 27 parliamentary elections, which entails the biggest responsibility for forming a government. The group has 69 MPs in the 240-seat National Assembly.

It is quite a challenge to form a majority in a highly fragmented Parliament, as evidenced by the election of its Chairperson, Radev said. "This election is now a fact and I am glad that Parliament is beginning to work in earnest," he added. He was referring to the fact that Parliament's Chair Nataliya Kiselova was elected at the 11th attempt on December 6. She was nominated by BSP-United Left, the fifth largest out of eight parliamentary groups.

Radev said GERB had contributed greatly to the real start of Parliament's work by making a compromise on Kiselova's election, which made it possible to start the consultations on the formation of a cabinet. The party withdrew its nominee Raya Nazaryan, who was leader of the previous Parliament.

GERB leader Boyko Borissov said that "political ego has turned out to be a big problem" and that the country needs a regular government. He also said that GERB-UDF, being the largest political force in Parliament, will do their best this week to convince the other MPs that there is a need to form a government. "We made a promise, we will make an effort," said Borissov. 

Asked by the President when GERB-UDF expect to receive the government-forming mandate, Borissov said, "This week is for consultations. From Monday onwards, if your agenda allows it, we can go ahead with the first mandate. If we don't come to an agreement, we won't the week after either."

"Everybody talks on behalf of the people and what their voters say. When their electorate is five times smaller than GERB's, you understand what compromises cost our party," said Borissov.

He argued that looking at the international picture and what Bulgaria needs to do - adopt a budget and go ahead with the geostrategic project, this country clearly needs a Parliament-elected government. "Adopting a state budget without having such a government will be more of what we have been seeing in the recent years: huge deficits, huge spending and none of the measures that can keep all that in check," he added.

Borissov reiterated that his party has accepted many compromises and now expects to see "what steps the others would propose". 

He added, "I see many leaders are hurt that their candidate did not become Parliament Chair. If anybody has a reason to feel that, it is us because everybody is talking about the responsibility of the first political force, but then they continue the sentence with how the Prime Minister and Parliament Chair should not be a GERB candidate. How are we supposed to take on this responsibility then?" asked Borissov.

Emerging from the meeting with the President, Borissov told reporters that his party is working "on all options for forming a government". He was asked by the press if they are planning to invite CC-DB to talks. "We are planning various scenarios with the colleagues, we are holding talks because I believe that it is important to hold such meetings when the preparatory work has been done," he replied.

Borissov said further: "If they want a strong government to do the work, I should be the Prime Minister. If the government is politically unaffiliated, it won't be strong."

He said that Continue the Change made a bad decision Monday to go to government negotiations only with parties that have signed a declaration for a sanitary cordon around Delyan Peevski's party Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) - New Beginning.

Also, Borissov said that the number of MPs from GERB-UDF and Democratic Bulgaria without Continue the Change "is not enough for anything". "If we don't get a government on the first [GERB's] mandate, we won't on the second and third either," he reiterated. He added that "other majorities without GERB can try with the second and third mandate". 

Borissov excluded from the circle of parties that GERB accepts to work with Vazrazhdane as well as the Alliance for Rights and Freedoms and the MRF - New Beginning - the two warring factions in the Movement for Rights and Freedoms.

The GERB leader said that many political leaders "are unaware of the international situation and the ongoing processes in the world". "Fortunately, President Radev is aware of all that. I am happy with today's [Tuesday's] meeting because he understands that he needs a Parliament-elected government, a structure to assume international commitments with government ministers to deliver on these commitments. A strong political government is what I propose."

CC-DB optimistic for pro-European, anti-corruption majority

The head of State met with representatives of CC-DB next. The group has 37 MPs in the 240-seat Parliament.

Radev told CC-DB that being the second largest political force, they carry serious responsibility for the effective functioning of Parliament and for the formation of a government in line with the Constitution.

CC-DB co-floor leader Nadejda Iordanova said that the position of her parliamentary group is that Bulgaria needs to have a Parliament-elected government and that it should have a pro-European and anti-corruption agenda. She said that CC and DB agree on that. "We have a joint decision on that. We share the same goal and there is no rift [between CC and DB]. This is what we told the President," Iordanova told journalists after the meeting.

She also said, "Both for DB and for CC, the measures in the declaration on a sanitary cordon for Delyan Peevski are a must. There is no stepping back from them. The difference in the approach is that DB will go to talks with GERB to explain the measures and call for guarantees that these will be implemented," said Iordanova.

CC-DB are optimistic that it is possible to have a pro-European and anti-corruption majority. "To have a stable government, it needs to be backed by a broad parliamentary majority," she said.

She used one example. "When we have a problem in the judiciary, we know that the lasting solution would be electing a Supreme Judicial Council that is politically unaffiliated. Achieving that takes time and a government. Bulgaria should stop being the country of the expired terms in office," said Iordanova. She was referring to the expired term of office of the Supreme Judicial Council which is preparing to elect acting Prosecutor General Borislav Sarafov for a full term as the country's top prosecutor.

Iordanova said that CC-DB are ready to negotiate with all parliamentary forces minus Vazrazhdane and MRF - New Beginning. She said her group's priorities are pro-European and anti-corruption policies. "We are committed to implementing the approach we used during the election campaign, which earned us a mandate from the Bulgarian people. This approach involves forming a government centered on pro-European priorities, such as Schengen, the eurozone, and anti-corruption measures. In seeking such a broad majority, we must also envision a cabinet capable of delivering on this vision," said Iordanova. "In this fragmented Parliament, amid this political fragmentation, we believe that only a prime minister who is impartial, widely acceptable, and free from partisan polarization can fulfill this mission," she added.

Iordanova underscored that they will participate "responsibly and with humility" in the negotiation process, but not at any cost. "The corruption blight within institutions must be eradicated, and we will not compromise on this," she concluded.

CC co-chair Kiril Petkov stated at the beginning of the meeting with the President that his party is “very concerned that the leading political force continues to vacillate and refuses to sign off on a sanitary cordon [around Delyan Peevski], which means they are not actually prepared to adopt anti-corruption laws, make progress in judicial reform, or take fundamental steps to improve the electoral process.” "So, CC will remain vigilant to see if GERB can break free from the behind-the-scenes influence that currently holds their party captive. Democratic Bulgaria we will go to negotiations but we will have a clear precondition: only if the parties that wish to form the next government are ready to sign off on this sanitary cordon," he insisted. He underscored that both the National Assembly and the government must focus on the tasks that are most crucial for the country.

According to CC-DB co-floor leader Nikolay Denkov, an “urgent first priority” is the adoption of a state budget that will ensure all state systems function smoothly from January 1. Also linked to this budget is the swift adoption of laws related to the Recovery and Resilience Plan, noted Denkov. "Let me remind you that this concerns BGN 1.6 billion, which did not enter this year’s budget and is expected to be included in the next one if approved. Those who block the adoption of these bills hinder the establishment of justice in the country and create serious financial problems. For years, the justice system has failed to fulfill its functions," Denkov argued.

No consultations with MRF - New Beginning

President Radev has decided not to hold consultations with the parliamentary group of MRF - New Beginning, the head of State's press secretariat told BTA on Tuesday afternoon. Before this decision was announced, MRF - New Beginning leader Delyan Peevski told journalists that he personally would not go to consultations with the President but his party would honour the head of State's invitation out of respect for the presidential institution. Asked why he would not go personally, Peevski said that he makes the decisions for himself and "being the leader of MRF - New Beginning, I have the right to go as I please". 

On Wednesday, the head of State is scheduled to receive representatives of Vazrazhdane and then BSP - United Left. The consultations will continue on December 12 with talks with representatives of Ahmed Dogan’s Alliance for Rights and Freedoms, There Is Such a People (TISP), and MECh.

Under the Constitution, after the consultations with the parliamentary groups, the President mandates the largest one to form a government. If the group fails to do so, he mandates the second largest one. If it also fails, the third exploratory mandate goes to a parliamentary group chosen by the President. Failure to form a regular government under the third mandate results in snap parliamentary elections.