GERB leader Boyko Borissov: The PM rotation will be around March 6

The rotation of prime ministers will be around March 6, GERB leader Boyko Borissov told journalists on the sidelines of parliament on February 16. He hinted that the swap of seats between Nikolay Denkov and Mariya Gabriel might not be exactly on the ninth month since the beginning of the term in office of the government.

In his words, there have been no leadership meetings for a long time.

"The rotation will take place when Denkov and Gabriel are ready, when they reach an agreement. Our MPs are not pawns, pawns to vote somehow. When Denkov and Gabriel come and convince us that we should vote, then we will vote. Today they are in Munich together and they will use the time to talk. They are doing analyses, listening to ministers. We are not involved in this," the GERB leader said.

Asked whether the resignation of Sofia Governor Vyara Todeva would be requested, Borissov said:

A non-coalition, coalition, assemblage, whatever you want to call the cabinet, requires a very, very high level of political culture. And when you are appointed with the signatures of two people, when you have received the support of so many MPs from one party, it is logical to inform this party on important issues. This has not been done and, since it has not been done, I am not commenting at all on whether or not it is the right decision. Let the PM rotation take place first because we are very very far from it, in my view."

Asked what was keeping them away from the rotation, the GERB leader said:

"A lot of talk - from colleagues, they do not stop… every day. They make statements, draw red lines and explain how nice they are. And they take credit for everything that is successful and where there is a problem – they throw the responsibility to GERB. We're not going to let that happen."

"I clearly told you that in the sports ministry they caught them with bribe of tens of thousands of BGN. And when they tell me that they are for the cleaner, I am not at all naive to believe that. And they should take political responsibility. If they want to keep this minister, they should keep him. But we cannot support corrupt schemes."

“Yesterday I watched on TV a Greek businessman explaining how he was subjected to all kinds of pressure. And the only explanation I heard about it was that Assen Vassilev (Finance Minister) cannot know everything. And I would like to ask: when something happened in Bulgaria (referring to the time he was the PM), all the questions were directed to me, regardless of whether it was a ministry, whether it was any event, even if someone was hit by thunder. You, the journalists, asked me. Now the answer is that they cannot know everything. And in fact it is a scary scandal, if what this Greek guy explains is true, with a lot of people involved. And whether this is an isolated incident."

"So we are very, very clear: if Mariya Gabriel and Denkov find a way out of the situation, we will support. If somebody thinks that single-handedly with 30 MPs they are going to twist the arms of nearly 69, it's not going to happen. Bulgaria is dear to us, I have made huge compromises during these months, but still there must be some culture of governance."

On a coalition agreement, Borissov said it was a matter of goodwill on all sides, adding:

"I am not pushing anything. To be frank: we have left some people to learn to govern. At the moment this is happening. And you see: nothing is being built, nothing is being done, there is a complete standstill in everything, they are just making up some rosy phrases about what has been done. And in fact, when I watch TV, it is the opposite. Scandal after scandal goes on. March 6 is not an empirical date, it might as well be March 10. And what if we don't vote for it? There are countries where this has happened. Denkov should forget his ego. What he will do depends on the MPs who have supported him."

Asked when the rotation would be, Boyko Borissov said, "Around March 6."