After No-Confidence Vote: Borissov and Peevski Engage in Indirect Dispute in Parliament

Tensions flared in the corridors of Parliament after GERB leader Boyko Borissov criticised the statement made yesterday by the chairman of Movement for Rights and Freedoms – New Beginning (MRF – New Beginning), Delyan Peevski, in which he declared himself the sole guarantor of the government’s stability. Other parties also joined the debate.

Borissov and Peevski exchanged remarks in Parliament, with the GERB leader urging the MRF – New Beginning chairman to acknowledge that the cabinet had been assembled with great difficulty and was not the work of a single party, but of four in total. Peevski, in turn, responded with an appeal for the cabinet to focus more on the people and on solving their problems. Opposition parties, including We Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria (WCC–DB), Vazrazhdane (Revival) and Velichie (Grandeur), also weighed in on the dispute.

Boyko Borissov, GERB Chairman:
“This government belongs to Bulgaria. It was cobbled together with great difficulty after eight elections. It does not belong to GERB, it does not belong to Peevski, to ITN, or to BSP. None of us has the right to say ‘I’. ‘I am the guarantor’, ‘it depends on me’ – because any one of us could make that claim. Criticism of Delyan Peevski? Yes! Each of us may have self-confidence, but when that self-confidence grows into a sense that everything depends solely on you, and you sell that to the public in such a way, it is a heavy negative.”

Delyan Peevski, Chairman of 'MRF – New Beginning':
“Mr Borissov, the most important thing today is for you to order your Prime Minister, who comes from GERB, to resolve the water issue. I expect them to report what they are doing and provide a clear timetable, because people have no water, and tasks must be carried out. This is Mr Borissov’s responsibility. I have a duty to the people to deliver results for them – and I will deliver. Every day I raise issues, every day I speak with ministers, every day I raise the concerns that people across the country bring to me. One could say that 'MRF– New Beginning' is the only party that works for the people on a daily basis. I expect the same from the others. So I will be the guarantor for the people that this government will function. As you can see, how does this government survive? It survives thanks to me. Why? For the people, not for anything else. You can see the results of my party, and no one is more ready for elections than I am right now. But there will be no elections!”

Ivaylo Mirchev, Co-chair of ‘Yes, Bulgaria’, WCC–DB:
“This morning’s operational meeting of the three prime ministers clearly did not go well. As you know, Bulgaria has three prime ministers – one nominal, one who very much wishes to be, and one who is the real prime minister. First, Prime Minister No. 2 came out, dissatisfied with Prime Minister No. 3, while at the same time expressing dissatisfaction with Prime Minister No. 1. Then Prime Minister No. 3 appeared. He said he was dissatisfied with Prime Minister No. 2 and with Prime Minister No. 1. You know that Prime Minister No. 3 is the real prime minister – the ‘Big D’. Not only that, but he explained and made it clear that he calls every single minister and communicates directly with them. The question is: by what logic does an opposition politician ring ministers, assign them tasks, and make demands of them? We expect the ‘Big D’ cabinet to provide answers from those ministers – how many times Peevski calls them, about what, what he asks, and what they carry out at his request.”

Nikolay Denkov, We Continue the Change, WCC–DB:
“Borissov and Peevski have been lying to the entire Bulgarian public for nearly 20 years, no matter how long you think you will continue to rule. Your historical time is running out. Your so-called stability can only be maintained in one way – through brutal terror, built on lies and repression.”

Petar Petrov, Vazrazhdane:
“It is no longer a secret to anyone that this government is in fact led by ‘New Beginning’ and Delyan Peevski. It is steered by ‘New Beginning’ and by this parliamentary majority, in which that group exerts influence even over a significant part of GERB’s MPs.”

Ivelin Mihaylov, Chairman of 'Velichie':
“I have never seen such an attitude towards Boyko Borissov before. He was literally told – keep quiet! And go, instruct the Prime Minister to do this or that. Either Delyan Peevski is now issuing orders even to Borissov, or he publicly rebuked him.”

BSP – United Left, There Is Such a People (ITN), Morality, Unity, Honour (MECH) and Alliance for Rights and Freedoms made no comments in the debate.

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