site.btaContinue the Change Co-leader Kiril Petkov Sparks Controversy with Comment on GERB Mayors

Continue the Change (CC) co-leader Kiril Petkov Saturday made a remark about GERB mayors approving outgoing Finance Minister Assen Vassilev's performance, which sparked a reaction from the mayors elected on GERB's list.

Addressing the 3rd National Conference of Yes, Bulgaria, Petkov said he had talked with mayors from the GERB party, who reportedly said they were happy with the budget for 2024 drawn up by Assen Vassilev, CC's other co-leader. According to Petkov, some mayors said there was no way they wanted to revert to the old system [which existed under GERB's government] when they were "begging and hoping to be among the chosen few who get money from the budget."

Mayors from the GERB party objected to this comment, claiming it was intended to sow division in Bulgaria's largest political party hours before the start of negotiations on the country's governance. The mayors said there are different opinions and ideas in the party, but it is always united in its political actions. 

They recalled that at the adoption of the 2024 budget, GERB's only demand was that the priority projects of each municipality should be allocated funding. Nearly three months into 2024, the Finance Ministry has released negligible funding for projects despite the Minister's loud promises. The mayors urged Vassilev to ensure the implementation of the State Budget Act until the end of his term.

Also on Saturday, Yes, Bulgaria Chair and Democratic Bulgaria (DB) co-leader Hristo Ivanov told reporters: "The Finance Minister's name is 'Minister Eurozone'". Ivanov added that a possible replacement of Assen Vassilev as part of the upcoming government rotation would be "hard to explain". Thanks to Vassilev's efforts, Bulgaria expects in a few months' time "two windows to come together: of macroeconomic indicators and of the political will in Europe to accept us," Ivanov said.

Over the weekend, the two largest groups in Parliament, CC-DB and GERB-UDF, are to start negotiating on the government rotation and the future of reforms after the cabinet led by Nikolay Denkov resigned on March 5. The resignation was part of an arrangement that Denkov of CC-DB and Mariya Gabriel of GERB-UDF will to rotate as prime minister and deputy prime minister over a nine-month period.