site.btaUDF Chair Rumen Hristov: Current Government Aims to Complete Full Term

Chairman of the Union of Democratic Forces (UDF) party, which is part of the GERB-UDF coalition, Rumen Hristov, said during his visit to Ruse that the current government aims to complete its full term, “unless something extreme happens in the presidential elections.” 

“But I am confident that the GERB–UDF candidate will win these elections. This is very important, as we need a pro-European candidate who will continue the path Bulgaria has taken and uphold the civilizational choice made long ago,” Hristov added.

He stressed the necessity of a pro-European candidate entering the presidency at Dondukov 2 after President Rumen Radev's term in office ends. Hristov also commented on the “clashes” between the President and the ruling majority, noting that they are unlikely to trigger early elections.

“The clashes were initiated by Rumen Radev. It is clear that he is concerned his ‘reign’ will end in a year. He is thinking about his own political project and is nervous that without early elections, after the presidential vote, the advantages he currently enjoys as head of state — the media support, the position itself — will diminish drastically,” Hristov said.

Hristov visited Ruse to open an information office and constituency office for Ilia Lazarov in his capacity as a Member of the European Parliament and representative of the European People’s Party. The visit also coincided with a meeting of the UDF National Executive Council (NEC) in Ruse to discuss the dynamic political situation, Hristov added.

“The majority is stable. This ensures the government can function effectively. In Parliament, we are doing everything possible to maintain stable governance, especially given the major task of joining the Eurozone from January 1, ensuring a smooth transition from the lev to the euro,” Hristov said.

He noted that the NEC meeting would also address issues with water supply, the absorption of funds under the Recovery and Resilience Plan, and the entire legislative programme scheduled for the current parliamentary session. 

The Cabinet of Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov survived its fifth no-confidence vote in mid-September. It was initiated over failures in the sectors of internal security and justice, and worsening state capture. The motion was defeated in a 101-133 vote, with no abstentions.