Bulgaria’s President started the consultations for new cabinet, WCC and BSP did not attend
The political consultations with the President before the handing over of the mandate for forming a government started on June 27, but without "We Continue the Change" (WCC) and the Bulgarian Sociliast Party (BSP) as their representatives did not attend the meetings and explained that at the same time there were debates on the budget update in Parliament. Rumen Radev today spoke with GERB-UDF and with the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF). Both political forces were adamant that this Parliament has exhausted its potential and the way out is early elections.
"We Continue the Change" and BSP said that the more pressing task at the moment is the adoption of the budget update and they are ready to meet the President any other day. Later, the presidential administration said it had received notification from WCC of its inability to appear in the pre-agreed time for today's consultations. President Radev reminded that we are in overlapping crises and the country's budgetary framework must be secured at least until the end of the year.
At 14:15, the talks started with the GERB-UDF. Rumen Radev said that he started the consultations in the middle of overlapping crises and a number of challenges facing Bulgaria.
Bulgarian citizens have legitimate concerns about rising prices, the ongoing war and the uncertainty caused by the crises, which cannot be solved separately and not by one party alone, the President said.
Radev pointed out that the public expects solutions from the political parties, more support in the alliances we are members of and an ambitious and unified foreign policy in order to attract investments and not remain on the periphery of the EU.
The update of the budget, the adoption of the legislative changes for the Recovery and Reslience Plan should not be delayed and I hope the parties will enter into a constructive dialogue on all these issues, Radev added.
The second largest parliamentary force, GERB-UDF, said it understands the risks facing the country but does not see a formula for a principled coalition in this Parliament.
The resignation of the government is not the beginning of this crisis, it is a natural development of the political crisis and could even be its end. As to whether we see the potential in this National Assembly to form a new government, there is no potential, said Tomislav Donchev of GERB-UDF.
If the formation of a government does not happen when the mandate is handed to the largest political group and if the mandate is handed to us, the GERB-UDF group, we will return the mandate. As soon as possible, so that consultations on the handing over of a mandate to the third political force of your choice can begin, said Dessislava Atanasova, chairperson of GERB-UDF Group.
GERB do not expect an invitation for negotiations with WCC, and in their words, Borissov has sufficiently withdrawn - commenting on the possibility of a change of GERB leader. And is a government of Euro-Atlantic values possible in this National Assembly?
It is possible, only after catharsis. If we change the way of doing politics in Bulgaria, because in recent years we have political forces that are clear only against whom they are fighting. If this pattern changes and we have political forces that have clear goals, it is possible. But this is after elections, believes Tomislav Donchev, GERB-UDF.
President Radev explained to MRF his expectations for a formula to find a way out of the political crisis.
The political experience that MRF has accumulated during the years of the transition also means a very high responsibility towards the voters. The responsible attitude of the MRF towards ethnic peace in the years of transition is a fact. It is a fact that in moments of crisis you have appealed for dialogue, but Bulgaria expects consistent efforts from all parelimentary parties to fight corruption and establish the rule of law, Radev said.
It may be difficult to find the necessary dialogue to produce the necessary values and homogeneous majority to have a Euro-Atlantic governance in Bulgaria. In our opinion, we have to address the voters and enter the next National Assembly not with hatred and denial, but on the contrary - just the opposite, said Mustafa Karadayi, chairman of MRF.
MRF described the resignation of the cabinet as a logical development of the crisis.
They called themselves “change” and tried to suggest that violating the Constitution and laws is normal practice if it is done by the right people, and those who tried to defend democracy in our country, they called them backstage, mafia, traitors, coup makers, added Mustafa Karadayi, MRF chairman.
President’s consultations will continue on June 28 with meetings scheduled with representatives of Slavi Trifonov’s “There is Such a People” party, “Democratic Bulgaria” and “Vuazrazhdane”, which is the smallest paereliamentary group.
