PM-Designate Zhelyazkov: "We Sought Broader Accord"

UPDATED PM-Designate Zhelyazkov: "We Sought Broader Accord"

Rosen Zhelyazkov goes into the meeting with President Rumen Radev to receive a mandate to form government, Sofia, January 15, 2025 (BTA Photo/Milena Stoykova)

Sofia,

15.01.2025 12:49 | UPDATED 15.01.2025 13:16

(BTA)

As he accepted Wednesday a mandate to form a cabinet from President Rumen Radev, Prime Minister-designate Rosen Zhelyazkov said that in its consultations with the other parties in Parliament GERB-UDF sought to win broader support.

Here is what he also said: "Our consultations were aimed at getting broader accord. We made great efforts, sometimes in the late hours of the day, to make compromises and reach the necessary agreement. The goal of the negotiations was to achieve a nationally responsible governance."

He offered a brief account of the negotiations with the other parties in Parliament. "The talks with BSP - United Left and There Is Such a People were based on goals, priorities and governance principles, despite the fact that the three formations have serious ideological and political differences. We made the necessary compromises because in politics the ability to compromise is more valuable than making a political deal."

He said that the big compromise for his party was agreeing not to have GERB leader Boyko Borissov as the PM-designate.

Zhelyazkov went on to explain why the GERB-UDF did not accept the idea for an equidistant prime minister. "The negotiating groups embraced a formula for a parliamentary majority, which at the moment allows for a government to take up the difficult tasks facing the country - problems with public finances, better absorption of resources from EU funds, etc," he added.

The Prime Minister-designate promised that, if elected, his government will present its governance and legislative programme within a month.

Zhelyazkov thanked Radev for allowing enough time for talks between the parliamentary groups.

He also thanked Democratic Bulgaria for having participated in the talks, although they did not go further.

Zhelyazkov hopes that the proposed government will go through in plenary.

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