site.btaTwo Parties in Nationalist Coalition Break Talks on Shared Ticket for European Elections

106 POLITICS - EUROPEAN ELECTIONS - UNITED PATRIOTS

Two Parties in Nationalist Coalition
Break Talks on Shared Ticket
for European Elections


Sofia, January 23 (BTA) - The National Executive Committee of the National Front for Salvation of Bulgaria (NFSB) (one of the three nationalist parties in the power-sharing United Patriots coalition, along with the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization - Bulgarian National Movement (VMRO) and Ataka) is breaking the talks with VMRO on running together in the May 2019 European Parliament elections, the Committee said in a declaration circulated to the media on Wednesday.

The NFSB accused VMRO of "veiled media attacks", presented as concern over the future of the coalition. They allege VMRO of "stealing legislative and governance policies" from the NFSB programme in a January 22 declaration.

Reacting to a January 18 statement in which VMRO leader Krassimir Karakachanov said that his coalition partners took an "unserious" view of the selection of a new combat aircraft, the NFSB argued that Karakachanov's position on the matter had undergone an "unserious" U-turn.

On January 16, VMRO voted in favour and NFSB and Ataka opposed a National Assembly resolution mandating the Government to start negotiations on the acquisition of F-16 jet fighters for the Bulgarian Air Force.

The NFSB National Committee described as "odd" the slogans raised by a power-sharing party such as "Bulgarian passports for all ethnic Bulgarians without waiting, red tape and corruption schemes," considering that VMRO representatives in the executive are responsible for this.

"Leaving without comment the rest of the debatable formulations, the overall impression is not of a declaration by a coalition partner but of a manifesto of a minor opposition party soliciting voters for forthcoming elections," the NFSB declares.

Also on Wednesday, the Ataka party said in a press release that the United Patriots Parliamentary Group was unable to hold its regular meeting on Tuesday because of the absence of a NFSB representative. The NFSB responded that the parliamentary group meetings are not regular but are convened sporadically at the discretion of Floor Leader Volen Siderov (Ataka's leader). They argued that neither the secretariat nor the MPs had been notified of Tuesday's meeting. The NFSB described Ataka's press release as "inappropriate" and "misleading the media". "The problems in the organization and leadership of the parliamentary group are obviously awaiting a solution," the NFSB stated. LI/LG