site.btaUPDATED Outgoing Deputy PM Gabriel Says GERB Not Accepted as Equal Partner in Cabinet-forming Negotiations with CC-DB

"We have a fundamental difference in terms of GERB being accepted as an equal partner, outgoing Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mariya Gabriel said at a briefing at the party's headquarters late on Sunday evening, commenting the progress of the negotiations with Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria for a coalition government. 

The dispute is about GERB being placed on an equal footing in the government, being the first political force with the most MPs, she said, adding that the reforms of the last nine months happened with GERB-UDF's support.

"We proposed to vote on the composition of the current government with only a rotation between the prime minister and the deputy prime minister, to have the possibility to replace ministers and to continue working on the agreement. This was categorically rejected," Gabriel said. 

"At this stage, we remain firm in our line about our vision for this country's governance, in which composition, priorities and reforms go hand in hand, she said.

Asked if GERB will accept the exploratory government-forming  mandate from the President on Monday or the negotiations will continue, Maria Gabriel said that "if there's no change in what we have stated - that the government's composition is just as important as the priorities for this country and the reforms, then I will return the mandate unfulfilled". 

GERB's negotiating team, announced by party leader Boyko Borissov, includes Mariya Gabriel and co-floor leaders of the GERB-UDF Parliamentary Group Temenuzhka Petkova, Denitsa Sacheva and Raya Nazaryan.  

"If by noon [Monday] Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria are willing to share power and not keep it solely for themselves, then we can talk, Denitsa Sacheva said at the briefing. 

"If not, then we return the mandate and there will be no government with the second mandate, said Sacheva, adding that this would mean new parliamentary elections.  

On Monday, President Rumen Radev will hand an exploratory government-forming mandate to GERB-UDF's prime minister designate, who are the largest parliamentary group. The mandate is scheduled to be handed over at noon at the President's office.