First day of talks on forming a government: GERB-UDF propose a government of shared responsibility

Difficult start of the negotiations on forming a government with the first mandate. After sending six invitations to all parliamentary parties, on June 17, the host of the talks GERB-UDF received the first two refusals for talks - from “We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria” and from "Vazrazhdanel". However, GERB-UDF met with the second largest political force, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF), and found overlapping priorities in a number of areas. The winners of the elections propose a government of shared responsibility.

On the first day of negotiations for forming a cabinet. GERB-UDF propose a government of shared responsibility and see it as the only possible formula, because people are tired of politics on the principle of “who cannot work with whom”. They will probably propose an agreement for such a cabinet. They have not discussed names for the composition and structure of the Council of Ministers. After GERB leader Borissov said that the Prime Minister should be from GERB, today a new condition appeared: the Speaker of the Parliament should also be from GERB.

After the meeting, MRF did not comment, GERB said they had common priorities in a number of areas. As expected, “We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria” did not go to the meeting and declared themselves as a strong pro-European opposition that will fight any attempt of corruption. According to the leader of "Vazrazhdane" the solution is one - new elections.

Out of three invitations for meetings, only one took place today - the one with the MRF, but an hour and a half late. The reason: a dispute between the formations - with one more in the 50th Parliament (seven parties enter Prlaiment) who should sit where in the plenary chamber and whether the MPs should stay in the building of the former Party House. Prominent politicians from MRF but without the two chairmen of the movement sat the at the table with GERB’s negotiating team. An hour later, only GERB-UDF commented on the meeting.

Denitsa Sacheva - GERB-UDF: "We are talking about a government that is of shared responsibility. And the document that we will probably propose for discussion will be an agreement for a government of shared responsibility, which will contain specific policies. But this is the only possible formula, because I think that people have become too tired of the politics of confrontation, of the politics of who can't work with whom."

No names have been discussed for the composition and structure of the Council of Ministers.

Denitsa Sacheva - GERB-UDF: "We want to do something that is sustainable, and to have something that is sustainable, it rests neither on talks about personalities nor on mathematical majorities. It goes only through policies. I can tell you categorically that both the Speaker of Parliament and the Prime Minister will be from GERB."

After the meeting, the GERB-UDF noted similarities in programmes with the MRF on Schengen, the eurozone, investment-based economic growth, the link between the labour market and education, modernisation in defence, judicial reform and the fight against corruption. The largest political force also indicated a governance horizon.

Raya Nazaryan - GERB-UDF: "Our vision is for a four-year term of government so that all reforms can be achieved qualitatively."

The “We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria” did not accept the outstretched hand again. They thanked the GERB-UDF for the invitation from today for today. And they said that they would not participate in the negotiations for the formation of a government taking into account the will of the voters. They said that they will be a strong pro-European opposition that will fight any attempt of corruption and deviation from the European path of Bulgaria:

"In the 50th Parliament, WCC-DB will have a constructive attitude and will support Bulgaria's national priorities and strategic goals, which are set out in our programme. We believe that your approach cannot lead to a government that works in the interests of the country."

WCC-DB said they will not take part in the negotiations for a government with a GERB-UDF mandate.

Denitsa Sacheva - GERB-UDF: "It would be curious to see how they would vote against a policy related to Schengen or the eurozone, so I don't know what exactly they would be in opposition to."

“Democrats for Strong Bulgaria” (DSB) circulated a position, which says that as part of the coalition "We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria", they will be a determined opposition to any attempt to go back to the vicious practices and Borissov's model of governing the state. DSB leader, Radan Kanev, described the decision of WCC-DB not to participate in the consultations as reasonable:

"Since we have a position that we will not participate in the government, why waste GERB's time. I think that their decision not to propose Borissov as Prime Minister is more than reasonable - it cannot change our decision to remain in opposition, but it gives their government a chance to be more stable."

"Vazrazhdane" also did not go to a meeting with GERB-UDF. In Facebook, the leader of the party, Kostadin Kostadinov, wrote that the solution is one - new elections. He pointed out that the possibility of witnessing a GERB-UDF government and little janissaries around them is becoming more likely. And the reason, according to him, is that because of vote-buying, the MRF will be financially diminished, and other political brokers will not be very happy either, given the same circumstance of new elections.

Kostadin Kostadinov - Chairman of "Vazrazhdane". New elections. They cost MRF nearly 100 million BGN for vote-buying, which will financially crush Peevski's criminal group if it has to pull out such resources once again, within a period of a few months. The other political brokers will not be too happy either, given the same circumstance, so the possibility of witnessing a GERB-UDF government and little janissaries around them is becoming more and more likely. We will find out very soon."

Kosta Stoyanov from "Vazrazhdane" recalled the five priorities of the party, which differ from those of the winner of the vote:

"A referendum on preserving the Bulgarian lev, a referendum on Bulgaria's NATO membership, stopping sanctions against Russia, stopping the supply of weapons to Ukraine, forming a negotiating team to renegotiate the terms of Bulgaria's EU membership."

Tomorrow the talks on forming a governmennt continue and the first invitation is to the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP).

Denitsa Sacheva - GERB-UDF: "We received a very clear sign and signal from the people who voted for this, that our pro-European choice has been reaffirmed so many times already, including by BSP voters."

In the BNT programme "More from the Day”, Kristian Vigenin recalled the decision of the National Council of the BSP:

"We will not support a government with a mandate of GERB, nor with a mandate of MRF. Neither do we intend to participate in any coalitions. Tomorrow morning, however, we will have a meeting of the Executive Bureau of the party to discuss whether, as a sign of political dialogue, we should still tell GERB personally what our position is."

For tomorrow’s negotiations on forming a cabinet, invitations have been extended to “There is Such a People” and "Velichie", in addition to the BSP.

In the public space, there is speculation about names. After Rossen Zhelyazkov gave up his MEP seat - it is claimed that he will possibly be the GERB candidate for Prime Minister. Tomislav Donchev is also a possible candidate. The name of the former mayor of Sofia, Yordanka Fandakova, is being considered for both the Prime Minister's post and that of Speaker of the Parliament. Let's not forget Tsveta Karayancheva, who has also held the post of Speaker of Parliament, but failed to get into the previous few. The leader of GERB categorically set as conditions - the ministries of foreign affairs and defense to be for the winners in the lections. The names of Daniel Mitov and Hristo Gadzhev are being mentioned for them. Denitsa Sacheva is expected to be nominated Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Social Policy.

Images by BTA, GERB

Kalin Stoyanov may possibly keep his post of Minister of Interior. Today he commented:

"I am of the opinion that Bulgaria is in great need of a regular stable government that will continue to implement the priority national policies. For the moment I have no proposals, I have not spoken to anyone. If I get such an offer, my team and I are ready to finish what we have started, and there are many things."