site.btaAtaka Party Expelled from United Patriots Coalition

115 POLITICS - UNITED PATRIOTS - ATAKA - EXPELLED - amplified 2

Ataka Party Expelled
from United Patriots
Coalition

July 25 (BTA) - The Ataka party was expelled from the United Patriots power-sharing coalition on Thursday. The decision was made by the other two members of the three-party coalition: the National Front for the Salvation of Bulgaria (NFSB) and VMRO.

The news comes after a United Patriots Coalition Council meeting fell through on Wednesday and after internal contradictions and tensions plagued the coalition for many months.

Three of Ataka's seven MPs: party leader Volen Siderov, Dessislav Choukolov and Pavel Shopov, were expelled from the United Patriots parliamentary group as well. One of the stated reasons is that Ataka have often boycotted meetings of the Coalition Council and have obstructed decisions of the parliamentary group.

The United Patriots released a declaration via the NFSB press office, saying that the Patriots' unity remains a cause for NFSB, VMRO and two other political entities which have run in elections together with them: Middle European Class, and the Zashtita (Protection) Union of Patriotic Forces. "We hereby announce that the United Patriots coalition will be preserved without the self-expelled Ataka political party."

A new annex to the United Patriots coalition agreement states that the coalition will be sustained and will keep implementing the political priorities which it proclaimed during the parliamentary elections in 2017 and which were included in the Patriots' agreement with the main ruling party, GERB.

"We remain open to possible cooperation with other patriotic entities and with members and supporters of Ataka who disapprove of the policy of their party's leadership. They will all be accepted as like-minded people and their civil energy will be used to protect the national interests and for the well-being of our Motherland," the declaration says.

Speaking to journalists earlier in the day, VMRO leader Krassimir Karakachanov did not rule out a possibility for parties in the United Patriots to sign separate agreements with GERB for support of the government. Karakachanov said that each of the parties may sign an agreement with GERB based on the general agreement and continue to support the government.

Karakachanov reiterated that the coalition has been non-existent for several months because of the lack of dialogue. There has been subversion and attacks by one of the coalition leaders against the other two political formations along with lies and insults. Karakachanov said that he wouldn't be a part of such a coalition. LY/IG/PP/VE