site.btaUPDATED CC-DB Floor Leader Says Coalition's Priorities Remain Unchanged, They Will Be in Opposition

Speaking during consultations with President Rumen Radev here on Monday, Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) Floor Leader Nikolay Denkov said that CC-DB’s priorities remain unchanged, adding that they will be in opposition.

The co-leader of CC, Kiril Petkov, said that being a young party and coalition, they are aware of how challenging it is to form a government. But this time, he added, voters "have clearly placed us in opposition".

He noted that voters have provided GERB with the opportunity to have a government-forming mandate first and to form a cabinet for the seventh time.

Approached by the press for comment on GERB leader Boyko Borissov's remarks after the meeting with the President, Denkov said that CC-DB "owes nothing" to the GERB leader. "What Borissov owes Bulgarian people is to form a government after bringing down CC-DB's governments twice". "He shouldn't present himself as the victim of this situation. He caused it himself, twice, and it is now his obligation to bring order in the chaos," said the former Prime Minister.

He was adamant that there is no division in the CC-DB ranks and insisted that the coalition have full agreement in their assessment of the political situation and what the next steps should be.

Asked if CC-DB would back a cabinet of expers as proposed by Boyko Borissov, Denkov said, "The expert programme - the joint document that were had been preparing with GERB - was on the table but they decided to walk out because they wanted no deadlines." 

Also, Denkov said that CC-DB did not discuss with the President the third mandate "because it would be wrong, considering that the first two mandates are still coming up". 

Under the Coalition, the President first hands the government mandate to the biggest party in Parliament, then, if it fails, to the second biggest, and only then comes the third mandate to a party of the President's choice.

According to Denkov, "everything possible should be done to fulfill the first or second mandate".

He also told the press that CC-DB discussed with the President how to make the counter-corruption combat more efficient and how to get involved all institutions.