site.btaPresident Signals Potential Postponement of Cabinet Mandate after Holiday Season

Bulgarian President Rumen Radev suggested that the process of handing a government-formation mandate may be delayed until after the New Year, citing the upcoming holiday season. Speaking to journalists after attending the annual meeting of Bulgarian Olympic teams in natural sciences, Radev emphasized the importance of utilizing the current week for political consultations. “If this week is truly needed for discussions, I cannot present the mandate at the beginning of next week because we are entering the Christmas and New Year holidays. This means the process will likely resume after the New Year,” the President stated.

When asked how much time GERB leader Boyko Borisov had requested for consultations and whether there was clarity on the timeline for issuing the mandate, Radev said no specific timeframe had been agreed upon.

He underlined that the time requested by political parties is justified only if Parliament, alongside efforts to form a government, resumes its normal legislative activities and makes up for lost time.

“Our society expects above all rationality and the adoption of a budget that meets the needs of citizens and the Bulgarian economy,” Radev said. He stressed that the budget must avoid destabilizing the country’s finances or pushing Bulgaria into a debt spiral with unpredictable consequences.