Borissov open to the idea of a cabinet GERB-BSP, but after new elections. MRF agrees

A leadership meeting organised by the parliamentary group that was handed the third mandate to form a government, BSP for Bulgaria, was held at the National Assembly on January 20.

The leader of Bulgarian Socialist Party talked about governance priorities with the leaders of GERB Boyko Borissov, Movement for Roghts and Freedoms Mustafa Karadayi and Bulgaria Ascending Stefan Yanev. As expected, the leaders of "We Continue the Change", "Democratic Bulgaria" and "Vazrazhdane" did not come to the meeting.

Only three parties responded to BSP leader's invitation for a meeting for the third government-forming mandate

During the discussion, GERB leader Boyko Borissov said he would talk to his colleagues in the party to lift the ban on GERB's participation in a government with the BSP in cases of expert, programme or technical cabinet. However, this could only happen after new elections, he specified. MRF welcomed Borissov's words, while the Bulgaria Ascending reminded that the only way to solve the accumulated problems remains dialogue.

At the beginning of the talks, BSP leader Kornelia Ninova said the socialists were surprised by the absence of "We Continue the Change" and "Democratic Bulgaria" and in this they see a lack of will and desire to tackle pressing problems.

"Our desire is to talk about how, by overcoming the political crisis, we can talk about how to solve the other crises with the full understanding that we are different ideologically and politically and will remain so.

We have extended an invitation to all precisely because of this desire. We are surprised that the chairpersons of "We Continue the Change" and "Democratic Bulgaria" are not here. After analysing the public statements of the parties, we have found four common issues - the laws on Recovery and Resilience Plan; Budget 2023; Schengen and Judicial Reform. These priorities have also been declared by colleagues who are now absent. Obviously, this is a declaration in words only, but lacks will and desire. Whether this conversation will lead to the formation of a government and majorities is a second issue, but today we are faced with these four issues If there is a will, a way will be found; if there is no will, an excuse will be found. As a responsible party, we urge you to look for a way," Ninova said.

"I will talk to colleagues - such a ban, because the BSP has changed a lot - should not be a brake for some kind of technical, expert, programmatic government at some point. Now we have no way to support you, but with our presence we express respect for you”, he pointed out.

On entering for the meeting, he explained that he viewed the talks as an attempt to restore dialogue.

"I welcome your attempt to talk about how we see things in the coming months. I am convinced that we are going to elections for the fifth time and I am sure that after the fifth one the same thing will be said again, if in a similar format it is not said in advance how and in what way can a working government be structured. It used to be fashionable to talk about the isolation of GERB, today your coalition partners from a month ago - WCC and DB - are gone. Their declaration in the National Assembly was not supported by others, our government, which Prof. Gabrovsky proposed, it did not reach 5 MPs. Why - because this conversation was not held before. Then it would not matter at all in whose mandate, and I am convinced that if we had such a decision, where a government can be made, the President Radev would have complied. Wisdom, reason and will did not reach us. You no longer have dividing lines or red lines to worry - the weapon for Ukraine, the F-16 aircraft – they all passed, so - what is the problem now," Borissov said.

The leader of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF), Mustafa Karadayi, reminded that the country has various crises, but the resolution of all of them goes through the resolution of the political one. That is why they are calling for dialogue.

"Seeing the behaviour of other colleagues, we are most likely going to the next unnecessary early elections. Most likely, two parties will not be enough for a majority in the National Assembly, but even if they are enough, dialogue is still needed, and dialogue with ultimatums is impossible. From this point of view, I welcome what BSP has done and what Borissov has just said. From this point of view, these goals and requests that we are hearing now are good prerequisites that, eventually, after the unnecessary early elections, we will have such behaviour that after them to have an opportunity to overcome the political crisis we are in and to have a regular cabinet," said Karadayi.

He called for separating the topics of reform in the judicial system and staffing in the judicial system.

“Without dialogue and interaction, we are unable to offer the necessary solutions,” the leader of "Bulgaria Ascending" Stefan Yanev said.

"Even if we go to elections, this dialogue is necessary and this is the symbol of political interaction, called to solve problems. One of the solutions is to form a government. My call is to find the necessary arguments here to talk about priorities and politics and about the way to seek solutions. Because our nuances can be argued and so solutions can be found. This is our approach - dialogue, dialogue and dialogue again," he pointed out.

images by Dessislava Kulelieva