site.btaPM Borissov Reprimands GERB for Weakened Resistance to Criticism

ESD 16:43:31 20-01-2019
PP1647ES.102
POLITICS-GERB-NATIONAL MEETING-BOYKO BORISSOV

PM Borissov Reprimands GERB
for Weakened Resistance
to Criticism


Sofia, January 20 (BTA) - At a national pre-election meeting Sunday of GERB activists and leaders, leader and Prime Minister Boyko Borissov reprimanded fellow GERB members over their weakened resistance to criticism. Borissov warned than the Bulgarian Socialist Party is making up for lost ground and is catching up with GERB and he urged GERB members in the central and local government to defend their causes.

Borissov called on fellow party members to be careful not to turn into an elitist party and reminded mayors that they had been elected by the people and "should heed and help everyone because they have the resources".

"Those who lose any measure, should be removed immediately," said Borissov.

However the GERB leader praised GERB activists for their enormous work. "We did much more than a party can do, but it was easy because no one had done anything until then. At the same time there is discontent, so there must be something we should change," said the Prime Minister.

He attacked the BSP over their criticisms of the failed Roma integration.

"The party which built the Roma ghettoes and deliberately kept the Roma in submission, yesterday asked me a question about the Roma, given that we have enrolled 30,000 children in school to educate them and a billion is spent on education infrastructure."

Borissov mentioned the future acquisition of new fighter jets for the Bulgarian Armed Forces.

On January 16, Parliament mandated the government to hold negotiations with the United States on the acquisition of a new type of fighter aircraft, F-16V, Block 70. Strongly criticized by the Socialist party, over half of the MPs of the power-sharing United Patriots and Volya party, the negotiations mandate was supported by the MPs of GERB, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, the rest in the United Patriots group and two independent MPs.

He thanked the Movement for Rights and Freedoms for their support for the fighter jets deal and the Euro-Atlantic integration and Defence Minister Krassimir Karakachanov for the deals for the modernization of the Armed Forces.

Of the upcoming European elections, the Prime Minister said that governing the European Union requires tolerance.

He recalled the successful Bulgarian presidency of the European Union in the first half of 2018. "Why is there this malice that nothing has been done when the White House, Moscow, Paris and Berlin are telling us how much we have done. We are managing to balance between all interests and we are making huge efforts to prepare ourselves for all possible Brexit scenarios," he said.

It transpired at the meeting that GERB will launch a campaign mottoed 'Europe at Home' in Veliko Turnovo on February 12. Between January 21 and February 20 meetings will take place to nominate candidates for the European elections. GERB floor leader Tsvetan Tsvetanov recalled that the party has six MEPs and a EU commissioner and urged GERB members for maximum commitment during the election campaign.

"The European elections will be a test for the stability of the country and the government," said Tsvetanov.

Bulgaria will hold European elections May 26. LN/PP