site.btaDzhevdet Chakarov of MRF Commits to Dialogue with TISP Despite Low Government Formation Odds

One of the two chairpersons of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF), Dzhevdet Chakarov, Wednesday said they have agreed to engage in dialogue with There Is Such a People (TISP), despite minimal chances of forming a government. He was speaking at the start of a meeting with TISP representatives seeking support for a government under the third exploratory mandate.

In addition to Chakarov, the meeting was attended by MEP Ilhan Kyuchyuk and independent MPs Timur Halilov, Hayri Sadukov, Sevim Ali, Jeyhan Ibrahimov, Valentin Tonchev, Alizan Yahova, and Mario Rangelov, who have either been expelled from the MRF parliamentary group or have left it because of their support for the MRF under the leadership of Honorary Chairman Ahmed Dogan.

"These discussions must take place," Chakarov also said, referring to the meetings TISP plans to have with all parliamentary groups in a bid to enlist support for a regular cabinet. "The needs of the people must be prioritized," Chakarov added.

TISP Floor Leader Toshko Yordanov expressed appreciation for the responsible approach, highlighting that the current circumstances create the opportunity for more equitable governance. TISP outlined the main priorities of the party across various sectors.

On Monday, TISP were mandated to explore options to put together a government. They plan to hold talks with all parliamentary groups. Thus far, they have met with two groups of independent MPs from the dissolved parliamentary group of Velichie, and have found common ground with only one of them.

TISP received the third cabinet-forming mandate after the largest parliamentary group, GERB-UDF, picked Rosen Zhelyazkov as their prime minister-designate but his nomination was defeated in a parliamentary vote. On July 22, Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria, which found themselves to be the second largest group after a rift in the MRF diminished its size, declined the cabinet-forming mandate right away. Under the Constitution, if a parliament-elected cabinet is not formed under the third mandate, the President has to set a date for early parliamentary elections within two months and appoint a caretaker cabinet.