"We Continue the Change” still seeking support for future cabinet

The conversation about ministerial posts has not started, say those supporting the cabinet headed by Assen Vassilev. The search for a majority of 121 votes to support the government and the programme continues today, July 6.

On entering Parliament, MPs said the government programme was ready, with details to be cleared up.

The BSP and “Democratic Bulgaria” said their priorities were included in the governance programme.

Andrei Gyurov of “We Continue the Change” said there were indications that individual “There is Such a People” MPs were ready to talk to them. However, Toshko Yordanov (of TISP) denied such information.

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On Saturday, July 2, “We Continue the Change” (WCC) party held talks with the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) and “Democratic Bulgaria” to agree on policies and support for the new cabinet it would nominate. The deadline to come up with a proposal for a new cabinet is Friday, July 8.

The talks with BSP and “Democratic Bulgaria” (WCC partners in the outgoing coalition government) were held a day after President Rumen Radev presented “We Continue the Change”, a mandate to form a government.

WCC is seeking support for a government that would have a governance programme for six months.

Assen Vassilev, nominated for Prime Minister by WCC, said on Friday that the party did not yet have the support of the 121 MPs needed to get a government voted into office.

In order to achieve 121, WCC needs not only the support of the BSP and Democratic Bulgaria, but of MPs from other parties in The Parliament as well.

Last week, the leader of BSP, Kornelia Ninova, said she suspend the talks with WCC after outgoing PM Kiril Petkov announced the expulsion of 70 Russian diplomats. However, BSP agreed to return to the talks after WCC abandoned their plan to nominate Kiril Petkov as candidate PM and thus met Ninova’s demand.

WCC said it would not hold negotiations with GERB leader Boyko Borissov, “There is Such a People” leader Slavi Trinofonov and “There is Such a People” parliamentary leader Toshko Yordanov, Movement for Rights and Freedoms MP Delyan Peevski and “Vazrazhdane” party leader Kostadin Kostadinov.

If “We Continue the Change” party cannot secure a majority in Parliament, the mandate will be given to the second largest parliamentary group, the opposition GERB-UDF, which, on June 27, said it will not attempt to form a government.

If the second parliamentary group fails to present a cabinet, the President assigns a mandate to a third parliamentary group, at his choice.

If the third attempt to form a cabinet fails, the President then dissolves the Parliament by a decree, sets a new date for early elections and appoints a caretaker government.