Tension in power: WCC-DB did not enter Paliament's chamber, GERB-UDF leader Borissov does not believe that the ageement for rotation will be honoured

A new verbal skirmish between the leaders of the first and the second parliamentary forces. This time it was over the mechanisms for electing the leadership of the BBulgarian National Bank (BNB), the Audit Office and the Health Insurance Fund. The second largest parliamentary group, “We Continue the Change- Democratic Bulgaria” (WCC-DB), did not enter the chamber, and GERB-UDF believe that WCC-DB want to rule the state unilaterally. Is there a risk for the government now that the topic of resignation has been raised?

"They are threatening us that they will overthrow the government. Ok, then topple it down. I say it clearly: I will not. If you want Radev's caretaker government again, topple this government down. No one doubts that there will not be any rotation. There is a key phrase from the leaked audio recordings (of the meeting of the National Council of "We Continue the Change") that with this government we have to go into the local elections. They want to win the local elections," said Boyko Borissov, leader of the largest parliamentary group, GERB-UDF.

"This morning the WCC-DB group will not enter the chamber in Parliament because we clearly warned that what is happening is unacceptable, if someone thinks that we will only talk to each other in the media. Today, our entire group is going to a meeting to decide what we do if GERB continues with this approach of slowly amending an agreement and replacing it with something else," said Kiril Petkov of WCC-DB.

Is resignation an option?

- Potentially yes, said Kiril Petkov.

The reason for the new clash was the mechanism for electing the management of the BNB, the Audit Office and the NHIF.

"If someone thinks that this will be the price of all regulators to be replaced by people with this hidden majority of GERB, MRF and "Vazrazhdane” - we cannot give the controls to this majority," said Kiril Petkov.

"They are doing exactly what they talk about in the conversation from the leaked audio recordings - a wholesale replacement. And now they want the regulators too. I talked to Hristo Ivanov (of DB) and he says that 7 days is a too short period to make a mechanism. Yesterday I met with Lena Borislavova and I understood what they want: to rule the country unilaterally, the legislature," the leader of the largest parliamentary group, GERB-UDF, Borissov, said.

GERB-UDF have a proposal for the post of the central bank’s governor and do not back down.

"Let Dimitar Radev (currently BNB Governor) stay in place. We will not support any other proposal," Borissov said.

"We want a clear agreement on a mechanism for how the regulator posts will be filled," Hristo Ivanov of DB said.

Ivanov and Borissov got into an argument in absentia: whether there were commitments made in advance.

"Yesterday I clearly said - we should sign an agreement and we stick to it. They saw that they were in isolation. PM Denkov claimed that they would work with all parties, but now it's different," said Boyko Borissov - leader of GERB-UDF.

"Yesterday Boyko said things that are not true, that there is no commitment. There is a commitment to a common legislative programme. It is about demonstrating that there is another majority," said Hristo Ivanov.

Whether the cabinet will survive and at what cost - remains to be seen.

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The recording, released by Radostin Vassilev, caused a political storm in the country against the background of the agreement reached for the formation of a cabinet between GERB-UDF and WCC-DB. The recording talks about "laundering Boyko Borissov" (GERB-UDF leader) and that "as long as Borissov is afraid of Geshev" (Prosecutor General at the time), there will be a government.

Radostin Vassilev leaves WCC-DB group, released recordings of meetings of the co-leaders

On May 27, 2023 GERB party said it decided to “freeze” negotiations with “We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria” coalition on a proposed government, a day after audio recordings were made public of WCC-DB leaders making disparaging remarks about GERB figures and its candidate for Prime Minister, Mariya Gabriel.

Gabriel, speaking at a news conference after a meeting of GERB’s executive council, said that she had informed WCC-DB candidate Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov of the decision.

“We are freezing the negotiations, Everything has its limits. My own limit is that I cannot accept a democracy that is based on a lie, on undermining the foundations of statehood, and failure to observe the fundamental principles of the republic. Not to mention the lies about myself – that is not the problem. The problem is that what we may have here is a vision and a style of governance which are contrary to all European principles and practices. It is unacceptable to say one thing during negotiations and another outside, ” Mariya Gabriel said.

In a reference to the released recordings, in which WCC-DB leaders refer to holding talks with foreign embassies about changes at the heads of security and intelligence services in Bulgaria, Gabriel said: “We have European and Atlantic partners and we value them, because we know that when you stand your ground from the beginning, they respect that. But decisions are made only in Bulgaria”.

Borissov told the news conference: “People meet me and ask me why I humiliate the party. I explain that this is good for the country, let’s adopt a state budget. We talked about a constitutional majority. The question is not about an apology or what they are talking about in that meeting. The question is in the way they think, that the state is governed. We have no people in the services for two years. We are not pushing ourselves to become ministers. That is why we are talking about an expert government. You heard what they (WCC) are saying about the local elections, to be held with their Minister of Interior,” Borissov said.

GERB-UDF nominee for rotation PM, Mariya Gabriel, wants WCC-DB to reconsider government's format, members, principles as a condition for talks to go on

Talks between GERB-UDF and WCC-DB resume: There will be no GERB ministers in proposed cabinet

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At an extraordinary sitting on June 6th, the MPs voted to approve the Denkov-Gabriel draft cabinet.

The proposed government on a rotating basis was put together after the second largest group in Parliament “We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria” (WCC-DB), reached an agreement with the largest parliamentary group, GERB-UDF.

According to the agreement, Denkov of WCC-DB will serve as Prime Minister for the first nine months, after which GERB-UDF’s Mariya Gabriel will take over as PM in the next 9 months.