site.btaSupport for Government under Third Mandate Grows to 48 MPs

The support for the formation of a government under the third exploratory mandate has grown to 48 MPs, There Is Such a People (TISP) Deputy Floor Leader Stanislav Balabanov said on Wednesday. He spoke to journalists after TISP representatives met with independent MPs in a bid to raise support for a regular government. 

Attending the meeting were Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) Co-Chairman Dzhevdet Chakarov, 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.

Balabanov described the meeting as extremely constructive. 

Chakarov commented that their vision and priorities coincide to a large extent with those of TISP. In his words, their discussion was one about principles, presentation of goals and priorities within the Euro-Atlantic orientation. "If a government is formed, be it with minimal chances, it would be good if it has a clear term in office with responsibilities and options. If not, let these meetings in an environment of dialogue be the first steps in the 51st National Assembly for us to find a solution in this critical situation," Chakarov told journalists.

The top priority of the former MRF MPs is to have all steps in the judicial reform implemented. There were similarities with TISP also regarding national security and the energy sector. "More importantly, they share our view on the demographic crisis," Chakarov said. He expressed satisfaction with what he heard at Wednesday's meeting but said they will wait for TISP's next meetings to see what the trend is.

During the meeting, the TISP representatives presented their group's main priorities, including those in the judicial system related to the constitutional amendments of late 2023. TISP propose revisions to the Judiciary Act aimed at limiting the Prosecutor General's powers. In the field of tax policy, TISP are in favour of keeping the flat tax, which they see as one of the most attractive conditions for foreign investment in Bulgaria.

Chakarov said they too are firmly in favour of the flat tax.

At the start of the meeting, Charakov said that they have agreed to engage in dialogue with TISP despite minimal chances of forming a government, because these discussions must happen.  "The needs of the people must be prioritized," Chakarov added. TISP Floor Leader Toshko Yordanov expressed appreciation for this responsible approach, highlighting that the current circumstances create the opportunity for more equitable governance. 

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.