Bulgaria’s Parliament decided that the no confidence vote will take place tomorrow

While MPs were debating on the 5th vote of no confidence against the cabinet in the plenary hall on July 20, the protest of members of the public dissatisfied with the government was taking place in front of the Parliament building.

The no confidence debate went on for 2 and a half hours. It was tabled by the opposition Bulgarian Socialist Party on the grounds of the government’s failure against corruption. It will be put to the vote on tomorrow, July 21 at 11:30 am.

The BSP demanded dismantling of the oligarchic-mafia model of the Borisov 3 government, as they call it. They said that only the immediate resignation of the government could solve this problem. They also said that the legislation works in favour of corruption.

Those who did not speak from the opposition were from the MRF. They did not take part in the debate on the no-confidence vote this time at all, but in the previous days they made it clear that they would support the no-confidence vote, as they have done so far

The United Patriots (the minority partner in the ruling coalition) saw weak motives in the no-confidence vote and noticed that there was sympathy for accused gambling businessman Vassil Bozhkov.

Ruling GERB naturally stated that now is not the time to resign, that they are a responsible party and that they do not want to give power in the hands of the President to form a caretaker cabinet.

Kornelia Ninova, BSP leader: The huge corruption scandals for 3 years, which we counted, are over 25. Almost every month the state was shaken by one.

Boris Yachev, "United Patriots": An exotic but very revealing accent in these motives is, among other things, the open sympathy and protection that BSP demonstrate to the accused gambling boss Vassil Bozhkov, who fled to Dubai, claiming, I quote from the motives that the state has undertaken repression in order to seize his already successfully developed business.

Vesselin Mareshki, Volya party: At the call for resignation, we are the only ones ready today to resign, we are the only party against which no one is protesting.

Toma Bikov, GERB: What will happen if today we accept your proposal for the government to resign? We go to a caretaker cabinet, without a parliament, without a clear program from the president, who has had a strategic council for a year and a half, but has not written a page about what they plan to do if they come to power by chance. Secondly, the president is already a party to the issue, this is not an institution that can be a mediator for resolving a possible political crisis. The President and you want to provoke a political crisis without knowing how to solve it later, there are no guarantees that a dialogue can be achieved.

Tomislav Donchev, Deputy Prime Minister: Restart of the state means temporary heart failure of the Bulgarian society, should the Bulgarian government resign or not, how long will it last? As long as it makes sense, as long as there is benefit. As long as something useful can be done and the connection with the public is not broken. Believe me, if this connection is broken, there is no need to call for "Resignation" or, as the great Aristotle said, " It is not enough to win a war; it is more important to organize the peace.”

Outside the parliament, ministers commented on the current situation and whether they would resign.

Vladislav Goranov, Minister of Finance: There is no reason for me to resign 10 days after I am satisfied with a very successful project for Bulgaria – admission into the Banking Union and entry into the Eurozone waiting room. if you think this is a failure of policy or fiscal indicators in the last few years, it would mean that there should be claims against me, I do not find such grounds.

Emil Karanikolov, Minister of the Economy: We will wait for the decision of the Coalition Council, this is the right thing to do, we have stated a clear position that we are ready to resign. I do not understand why my colleagues Goranov (Finance Minister) and Mladenov (Interior Minister) should wear this label. I do not think that such an attitude towards these two ministers is right, and I personally say once again that I am ready to take on this political responsibility, but I do not understand why my colleagues should.

Danail Kirilov, Minister of Justice: Another vote of no confidence. We will present our arguments, so let the parliament decide.

Kiril Ananiev,Minister of Health: At the moment it does not matter whether one or another minister will leave, political decisions are forthcoming, which must be made by the end of the year and which people are waiting for. The budget and the tax laws that shape the policy for the next year must also be adopted. From this point of view, I believe that a caretaker cabinet does not have a parliament and will not be able to adopt these laws.

Emil Dimitrov, Minister of Environment and Water: You recently asked me when I would stab the Prime Minister, and I told you that if you have to count me - count me from the Prime Minister's team. A T-shirt is not thrown in the middle of the match. The state cannot be broken at this very moment, the crisis is coming, whether we want it or not.

For now, the vote of no confidence is expected not to be approved.