Reactions to GERB-UDF leader Boyko Borissov's proposal for a quadruple coalition

Boyko Borissov, the leader of the largest group in Parliament, said on November 11 that he did not want to govern with either Delyan Peevski or Ahmed Dogan. How did his desired partners accept the hand he offered?

(The Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) split into two factions in July, one loyal to honorary chairman Ahmed Dogan, which ran in the October 27 parliamentary elections as Alliance for Rights and Freedoms, and another led by Delyan Peevski, which ran in the elections as MRF-New Beginning.)

Will there be a cabinet? The parties's reactions to the proposal for "cordon sanitaire" around Peevski

There is no good Movement for Rights and Freedoms and GERB will not work with either of the two factions into which it split, Boyko Borissov said and proposed a quadruple coalition with the participation of GERB-UDF, We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria (WCC-DB), Bulgarian Socialist Party and There is Such a People (TISP). The condition Borissov set is that he himself should be the candidate for Prime Minister. Borissov also proposed to sign a coalition agreement and all this to happen within the first mandate to form a government.

Assen Vassilev reacted by saying that WCC-DB could not support Boyko Borissov as Prime Minister and recalled that it was WCC-DB that managed to produce two governments in recent years. That is why, according to Assen Vassilev, the legislative programme should be the first place to start.

Boyko Borissov - Prime Minister – absurd, Toshko Yordanov of There is Such a People said, and as for the formula of government in the future he said that it is too early to talk.

BSP refrained from commenting, but the leader of "MRF - New Beginning", Delyan Peevski, who is not among those invited to participate in this quadruple coalition, did. Peevski said he was waiting impatiently to see "what kind of low level assemblage they will make and how they will all sit in Borissov's lap".

"There is no good MRF and GERB will not work with it," Borissov said.

After repeating this thesis once again, Borissov made a proposal. But only to 4 of the parliamentary formations.

"It is possible to make a government without "MRF- New Beginnins" and Peevski, without ARF of Dogan, unfortunately I say without "Vazrazhdane" because we are from very different ideological families and without Morality, Unity, Honour (MECh). All the others can make a government - GERB-UDF, WCC-DB, BSP and TISP. This is something extremely complicated in this situation. Everything has to happen in the first mandate, Boyko Borissov said.

Borissov is ready to put his signature to this.

"This is a separate document that I can sign immediately. Immediately. And the other thing I will sign is a coalition agreement with those I listed, so there is no chance for floating majorities," Borissov said

Borissov described the election of a parliamentary leader as a start for the negotiations. And for prime minister: there is only one name.

"Such a government can only be run by me. Such a government is not a gesture to me. It is rather a sacrifice. I have no desire, but the party does not agree and will not, I just can not bend them more," Borissov said.

"And with Borissov as Prime Minister - are we talking seriously", pointed out Assen Vassilev from WCC-DB.

"I think we made that clear in the campaign and I think our voters supported that. You know that we are the only ones who made two governments. These governments, to be made in this complex environment, it all starts with a legislative agenda," he added.

He also said that the quadruple coalition was not an option.

That is why the WCC-DB puts the priorities like this.

"In order to have a functioning National Assembly let us unite around a legislative programme in the next three months - which laws need to be passed, what the Parliament needs to decide. You know, we have said: the budget, the anti-corruption laws, the Electoral Code,"TISP added. And when there is a clear legislative programme, a person should be elected who will commit that this legislative programme will happen within the deadlines that are set in it, Assen Vassilev said.

Borissov said that the ministers could be from the other three formations, to which he lends a hand. However, a compromise is possible, but with another position:

"If we reach a majority, then we will negotiate a parliamentary Speaker. All positions are put on the table and commented on," Borissov said.

If the WCC-DB do not support him, Borissov said, "So they work for Peevski and they like it that way."

To the proposal for a quadruple coalition, TISP responded:

"Boyko Borissov - prime minister - absurd! And for the rest - the answer is: it is extremely early. So far no one has talked to us about anything. If there is going to be any government, it must be clear what policy it will pursue. From the head to the feet is not the approach", said Toshko Yordanov of TISP.

"MRF-New Beginning” was left without an invitation to the quadruple coalition and Peevski reacted:

"Borissov is the leader of the largest parliamentary group. He can invite whoever he wants, he is obliged to form a government. I'm just waiting to see what kind of shameful assemblage they will make to sit all in Borisov's lap - this whole Kiki, Miki, Nikki group. I will never have anything to do with these people. I have finished everything with them when I found out that in the cabinets they want to finish off the leader of GERB."

Peevski assured that he would never allow "MRF-New Beginning" to be second class.

"At the moment, a new party is being created in the presidency, the leader of which will be I can not say, but a straw puppet, former Justice Minister Krum Zarkov. Just the President in quotes, because as of today for "MRF - New Beginning" this President is not legitimate and this Vice President, this woman is an illegitimate Vice President. Mr Radev, I will not allow you once again to deceive the Bulgarians. I know a lot about you and the truth will come out. And you will not be the savior," Peevski said.

"A little while ago Krum Zarkov had coffee with me. Now I run to congratulate him and tell you, because I did not know," President Rumen Radev said.

Following Borissov's call on Friday for an apology from the presidency over the Vice President's words that the 51st Parliament is illegitimate, President Rumen Radev, said:

"I would have paid more serious attention to Borissov's words along these lines five years ago, when he could form majorities and governments. But the reality is different now. The one who does not handle his responsibilities owes an apology, not the one who fulfils them. And it is the responsibility of the first political force to form a quality government."

Against the backdrop of accumulated problems, the task of the 51st Parlaiment is particularly onerous, the President said.

BSP did not comment on Borissov's outstretched hand, but before that the socialists, "Vazrazhdane" and MECh commented on the formula of power.

"Politics is the right approach. The fact is that in Parliament all parties outside the BSP-United Left profess a right-liberal ideology, that is, they have the ability to form such a government, and we can be the good left alternative," said Atanas Zafirov - acting chairman of the BSP.

"It is possible to have a government, but whatever it is, it will not be stable. The only stable government that can exist is a government with "Vazrazhdane", said party leader Kostadin Kostadinov.

"The MECh plan must work: everyone against Peevski, Borisov and Dogan," said Radostin Vassilev, MECh leader.

51st Parliament started work, MPs failed to elect a Speaker

Minutes after they walked the red carpet, politicians were already opposing positions, entangling the knot for a potential government and leaving the possibility of new elections open.

Image by Dessislava Kulelieva, BNT

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Eight parties and coalitions entered Parliament after the October 27 early parlimentary elections: GERB-UDF (69 seats), WCC-DB (37 seats), Vazrazhdane (35 seats), MRF-New Beginning (30 seats), BSP-United Left (20 seats), ARF (19 seats), There Is Such a People (18 seats) and MECh (Morality, Unity, Honour) (12 seats).