There is fragile optimism about finding a formula for a new government

published on 3/11/24 3:40 PM

Photo: BTA

Today was the first of two days for President Rumen Radev's political consultations with the parties represented in the Bulgaria parliament, according to the Constitution, before he handed over the first exploratory mandate to form a government.

The consultations are being held after the Prime Minister of the first rotating government, agreed by the PP-DB and GERB-SDS, with Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov resigned on March 5 and the next day the parliament accepted the resignation.

The first of today's meetings was with the largest parliamentary group - GERB-SDS.

After it ended, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs resigned and possible future Prime Minister after the rotation, Mariya Gabriel of GERB, said that the tone of the negotiations of the governing parties over the weekend was constructive, but more time was needed to overcome the differences. That's why she asked President Rumen Radev to wait with handing over the mandate to form a cabinet.

The next meeting of President Radev was with the second parliamentary force - PP-DB. The resigned Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov from the PP called for the fastest possible conclusion of the negotiations with GERB-SDS for the future government. He assured the president that the PP-DB wanted the rotation to be carried out, but in the absence of agreement they were ready for early elections.

"However, this is not a good option," emphasized Denkov. The ex-prime minister refused to answer a journalist's question about the names of ministers discussed in the negotiations between PP-DB and GERB-SDS. In his words, "until everything is agreed, nothing is agreed". He admitted that the relations among the parties in the governing coalition were complicated, but "no one expected that they would be easy".

At the last meeting for today - with the MRF, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms emphasized that they are were factor of stability in the governance. If the rotation happens, they will support decisions related to the Euro-Atlantic orientation of the country. "We hope that the main players will find the formula. If not, there is always an opportunity to find another configuration, but it seems that it will be quite difficult", commented the chairman Dzhevdet Chakarov on the negotiations between GERB-SDS and PP-DB.

Tomorrow, the consultations will continue with the fourth, fifth and sixth forces in the parliament - "Vazrazhdane", "BSP for Bulgaria" and "There is Such a People".

Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!

Share

There is fragile optimism about finding a formula for a new government

More from category

Bulgarians vote for MPs in 51st National Assembly

Campaign silence ahead of early elections for Bulgaria's 51st National Assembly

Underwhelming campaign raises fears of another early election next year

Nikolay Denkov: A "Peevski-wrapped GERB" leaves PP-DB in opposition

GERB will seek a majority for a cabinet by formulating common goals