site.btaAlternative for Bulgarian Revival Leader: All Those Attacking Government Seek Chaos

The leader of the Alternative for Bulgarian Revival (ABR), part of the BSP - United Left coalition, Rumen Petkov held a press conference at the BTA Press Club in Stara Zagora (South Bulgaria) on Sunday to discuss the coalition's participation in the newly formed regular Government. "It was a risky decision, and we know it. However, it is a decision based on accountability to the public. All those attacking this decision want chaos," he said. 

The negotiating option that preoccupied the public for more than a month was between GERB-UDF and Democratic Bulgaria (DB), with the agreement of Continue the Change (CC), Petkov said. "Why this format failed, no one has been able to find out. Because there was no demand that DB put forward and it was not reflected. Both in a document and in a common position. DB, in a very cynical way, with the assistance of CC, did everything possible to keep Bulgaria in chaos. You cannot say that the caretaker government is Mr [MRF - New Beginning Floor Leader Delyan] Peevski's and on the other hand want to keep it at all costs. Because it is very clear that the President had no choice. There was no doubt that the pre-conception was that if the talks failed, the National Assembly chair would be removed so that the President would be deprived of the opportunity to make another decision. It was very ugly propaganda," Petkov argued.

"We got involved at a later stage, but we have managed to achieve several successes in this difficult negotiation process. The first is the election of the Chair of the National Assembly, who is a person of exceptional quality. She has managed, in a short time, by her personal action, to create a completely new atmosphere - one of tolerance, dialogue and a desire to solve problems that are significant. I give the example of the Ukraine agreement, and I am puzzled as to why it is not being shown to citizens. There are texts there that are humiliating for Bulgaria, relating to energy, for example. It says what financial commitments we will have to Ukraine and its citizens in the next ten years. We do not have such to Bulgarian citizens," the ABR leader said.

"Our second success is the Religions Act, in terms of our traditions and faith. The next step is to present the document, adopted at the first reading, to the Holy Synod and to seek once again their articulate position and support," he added.

"I do not believe that the departure of Tatiana Doncheva and Velizar Enchev will dramatically affect the governance potential. Regarding Maya Manolova's declaration that this coalition is a 'kiss of death', I suspect that this week she will accept this 'kiss'. Of course, against the very heavy sacrifice of several deputy ministers and regional governors. This is obscene," Petkov said.

"Serious talks are underway in Europe to rethink some of the ridiculous decisions related to the so-called Green Deal. We, as a coalition, have insisted that we all join forces - the State, employers' and trade unions in all the European structures in which we participate - the European Union (EU), the Council of Europe, the Trade Union Confederation, which is united, and the three employers' organisations. Our first demand is to seek compensation from the EU for the extremely heavy damage done over the last year and a half to our energy sector. Damage in terms of the fact that Bulgaria exports an enormous amount of energy to Ukraine and is one of the countries that guarantee energy security there. This has a very significant impact on the price of electricity in our country. This is a big problem. I hear ideas to freeze electricity prices, but where will we get the money? We have to look after the interest of our country. We must ask for significant enough compensation. I hope that the new government will be able, together with all the people I quoted, to shape our position so that we will hear these compensations," Petkov said.