site.btaCC-DB Willing to Work with GERB after Elections If MRF Leader Delyan Peevski Stays out of Negotiations

Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) is ready to work with GERB after the upcoming snap elections if Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) leader Delyan Peevski stays out of the negotiations and if the points of contention in the agreement between the two coalitions, which arguably caused the planned rotation of the GERB-UDF/CC-DB government to fail earlier this year, are sorted out. The suggestion was put forward by DB co-leader Atanas Atanassov and CC's Nikolay Denkov at a briefing in Plovdiv on Saturday.

According to Denkov, who resigned as prime minister of the GERB-UDF/CC-DB government on March 6, the agreement between the two coalitions contained a few controversial elements but a large part of it was not disputed by the partners. "If we manage to iron out our differences, we will be able to govern together in accordance with the agreement," Denkov said.

He was adamant that there is no way they can work with Peevski "because he is prone to extremes". Denkov went on to note: "[GERB leader] Borissov wants to turn Bulgaria into something of an Orban-style soft dictatorship, but at present GERB is virtually controlled by Peevski, a man who knows about intimidation." Denkov added that the GERB team for the rotation talks reported to Peevski as well as Borissov.

Atanas Atanassov said: "Peevski took part in the processes through the GERB door and contributed to the failure of the government rotation. The main thing that precipitated early parliamentary elections was the 'abstinence from power' which had seized our partners in GERB."

Atanassov, a former chief of the National Security Service, attributed the failure of the rotation negotiations to a reluctance to make reforms in the security sector. He said that GERB and MRF took advantage of the December 2023 amendments to the Bulgarian Constitution to establish control over the present caretaker government, which is supposed to prepare the June 9 elections. He called it "a puppet government" of Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev that is "carrying out a purge and installing GERB and MRF loyals in key positions, mainly to provide a protective umbrella for the vote-buyers in the upcoming elections".

Atanassov cited as examples the replacement of several regional governors, among them those of Sofia and Ruse. "Preparations are underway to resuscitate the so-called Borisov state, which is marked by captured judicial and security systems, subservient news media and a travesty of fair elections," the retired general said.

Former National Assembly chair Nikola Minchev, the top CC-DB candidate for the European Parliament elections (which will coincide with the elections to the national parliament on June 9), said he will stay out of the Bulgarian Parliament race.

The same applies to Radan Kanev, who will run for a second term as a member of the European Parliament. Kanev said that security policy comes first in the context of the European elections. He commented: "Europe was awfully late in realizing that investments were necessary at all levels of security, which means defence capabilities, border protection and the European systems of security and justice. As the European security policy is strengthened, the corruption and dependency of Bulgarian institutions become a problem for the entire European security architecture."

Kanev insisted that Bulgaria's European development does not go through GERB, and the main reason is Borissov and Peevski.

The Democrats for Strong Bulgaria, a DB member led by Atanassov, held a national campaign meeting in Plovdiv on Saturday.