site.btaPM Says Frictions between Partners in Government "Not Real Tensions but Mobilization ahead of Local Elections, Parliament's New Session"

Commenting ongoing frictions between the partners in the government coalition, GERB-UDF and Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB), Prime Minister said that these "are not tensions but mobilization ahead of the local elections and the start of Parliament's session". He also said that a meeting of the leaders of the parties in the government will be held in the coming days but an exact date has not been set as yet.

Last week, GERB leader Boyko Borissov slammed partner CC-DB for making personnel decisions for high-level positions without consulting GERB and threatened reconsidering their participation in the joint government.  CC-DB replied by listing senior government positions, including at the helm of regulators, which have gone to GERB.

Denkov explained that the government party leaders have spoken to each other recently but not as regularly as before. He expressed hope that dialogue will be restored the soonest possible.

He also said that there is a clear timeframe for Parliament and which bills should be passed when. "It is a common task for the parliamentary majority and I expect it to do its job," he said.

Denkov also commented that each party should be aware that in addition to competing with the other parties in the government, "it should also stand up for the common goals they have set". "This government was put together to achieve some key priorities and adopt key laws. This is what matters and I hope it won't be sacrificed for the sake of narrow partisan interests," said the Prime Minister.

Asked to comment criticism against the government by President Rumen Radev in recent days, he said only that the President has been trying to topple the government since the days before it was even formed.