"Over these three months, we managed to set such a pace and create transparency in our work, never overstepping the bounds of good manners because it is important in a sphere that is national and European not to target one another. There were delays of two to nine months with some of the measures but we had a very high degree of consensus, we created a very good system of coordination among the individual institutions," said Deputy Prime Minister for the Preparation of the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU Deniza Slateva in an interview for the Bulgarian National Radio.

Stating that she has been a member of the Bulgarian Socialist Party Executive Bureau for over 10 years, Slateva commented on the invitation she received to stay on as minister in the Borissov 3 cabinet and why she declined:

“The invitation came from Boyko Borissov himself. We had discussed with him how important the Presidency is and what is yet to be done. Under the circumstances, with a decision by the National Council that the Bulgarian Socialist Party will not be involved in a government with GERB in any way whatsoever, after discussions by the Executive Bureau, I think that this was the right decision.”

Deniza Slateva reiterated she was ready to help her heir to the post if this was asked of her and expressed the hope that the teams which are not part of the political office will remain in place.

“The 44^th National Assembly has demonstrated an understanding of the national priority connected with the Presidency,” Slateva said. In her words, the United Patriots must very clearly and definitively declare that the Presidency as well as its three main spheres are a priority and that the government will speak in one voice, whatever swings any individual party may take. 

“Juncker's White Paper is just the foundation, there may turn out to be more than five scenarios and, ultimately, it might not be just one scenario in unadulterated form. We must not wait for the Presidency to start this discussion," Deniza Slateva said.