President handed second government-forming mandate to WCC-DB, they returned it unfulfilled

President Rumen Radev handed the second exploratory mandate for forming a government to the second largest parliamentary group in the 50th Parliament - "We Continue the Change" - "Democratic Bulgaria".

Kiril Petkov, Nikolay Denkov, Bozhidar Bojanov, Lyudmila Ilieva, Atanas Atanasov and Nadezhda Yordanova were present at the handing over of the mandate.

The second largest parliamentary group, however, returned the mandate unfulfilled as soon as they received it. Last week, they asked for a three-month delay in a proposed draft declaration on dealing with the political crisis, but did not get support for it from the other parliamentary political forces.

The text of the proposed declaration stated support for seven legislative initiatives and resolutions, including electing members to the anti-corruption Commission, passing a new law on the judicial power, and amending the special laws regulating the work of the security services.

"The answer after a series of meetings (with other parliamentary groups, except MRF) is that this cannot happen. We will not change our approach, we will maintain these priorities to create a welcoming environment for businesses and investors in the country so that we increase incomes, reduce inequality, have the means to provide better education and health care. It has proved impossible in this National Assembly. We expect to get stronger public support so that, at the next opportunity, we can raise these issues again and they can be at the centre of the discussions in Parliament. The fight against corruption is not an end in itself, but the main means to achieve success in this direction. The decision is that I get a mandate as nominated Prime Minister, but with the task to return it unfulfilled," said Nikolay Denkov of WCC-DB.

According to the Constitution, if the second mandate for forming a government is returned unfulfilled, the President should task another parliamentary group of his choosing to name a Prime Minister.

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After the June 9 early elections, We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria was the third-largest force in the 50th Parliament, but was put in the position of the second following a split in the Movement for Rights and Freedoms causing it to become the fourth largest group after 17 MPs were expelled and some quitted the group.

Images by Dessislava Kulelieva