Political crisis is deepening, snap elections seem inevitable

The political crisis is deepening more and more.Today, early parliamentary elections seem inevitable. The Bulgarian Socialist Party, (BSP) suspended the negotiations for cabinet with "We Continue the Change" over the expulsion of the 70 Russian diplomats and called on President Rumen Radev to convene a Consultative Council for National Security.

"We Continue the Change" said there is always a way for negotiations.

The BSP called on anyone who has evidence of a decision by the Council of Ministers on the expel of 70 Russian diplomats, should prove it. The BSP leader and deputy prime minister, Kornelia Ninova, is adamant that no such decision was taken and discussed in the Council of Ministers.

Kornelia Ninova, BSP leader: The decision to expel 70 diplomats from Russia is unprecedented in Bulgarian diplomatic history. This is on the verge of breaking diplomatic relations. It is absolutely unacceptable to us. Both in the way in which it was taken and in the content contained in this decision. Secondly - this decision was taken absolutely unilaterally by Prime Minister Kiril Petkov, anyone who claims that there is a decision of the Council of Ministers, such as Vice President Iotova, should prove it and show it. We, the members of the Council of Ministers from the BSP, categorically state that no such decision was discussed and taken in the Council of Ministers. Third - for many years the BSP has been fighting for the rule of law, for the strength of institutions.

We insist that the issue should go where it belongs. We are now entering the Chamber and we are demanding a closed sitting of the Parliament and a hearing of the head of the State Agency for National Security (SANS) on the report that it has prepared and provided so far, perhaps only to Mr Petkov. We appeal to the President to call an urgent meeting of the Consultative Council on National Security, as his statement this morning is extremely worrying. If the President does not know that there is such a report by SANS, then something is definitely not right in the country. SANS, when it prepares such reports, should send them to the President, the Speaker of Parliament and the Prime Minister. The head of SANS is appointed by the President, the President cannot be unaware if there is such information. According to the public information that we are reading, we have not seen this report, it is about espionage that affects national security, it is most appropriate for the President to convene the CCNS immediately. Thirdly, once again the Prime Minister is making unilateral decisions on issues that very seriously affect national policy, both domestic and foreign. So far, we have shown tolerance and understanding in the name of the common goal we had set ourselves - to change the model of governance of Bulgaria up to this point. But as this is yet another such decision, we will return to the table for talks if "We Continue the Change" proposes another candidate for prime minister and Petkov accepts responsibility for his conduct so far. We have not discussed other names. We have not heard from the foreign minister," Kornelia Ninova said.

"We Continue the Change" reacted that they will do everything possible to present a government in this term. They said they now have new information and should sit down and consider how to return to the negotiating table with the BSP as well. That is why they are bringing the leadership and the parliamentary group together.

"We continue to do everything we can to elect a government in this mandate, that's why we held a meeting of the National Council on Monday where we gave a clear mandate to a negotiating team to talk to our coalition partners, now we have new information on the table that we need to sit down and consider and come back to the negotiating table where we hope the BSP will also consider their position," said Andrei Gyurov.

According to Democratic Bulgaria, everyone should find a way and strength to come back to the negotiating table and consider all options for creating a new cabinet within this parliament. They do not rule out discussing the option "We continue the change" to withdraw Kiril Petkov as a nominee for prime minister.

"I want to call for common sense and calm and for us to find a way to elect a government that will really prevent the slide towards this chaos. I personally have a serious concern and I think we all need to look it in the eye that we're not just going to an election, we're going to another parliament that will be hawkish and have no way of electing a government and we need to take responsibility for that. So emotions and declarations I understand, but I think at the end of the day we will all have to cool our minds and get back to the negotiations", urged Hristo Ivanov, co-chair of Democratic Bulgaria.

The BSP partners in the government believe there is time until Friday to clarify and calm passions.