BSP returned the mandate to form a government

Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) on July 28 returned unfulfilled the third mandate to form a government within the current National Assembly. Bulgaria is again facing early elections.

This will be the fourth general election in the past two years. President Rumen Radev will announce when Parliament is dissolved and appoint a caretaker cabinet. This decision will determine when the elections will be held - 2, 9 or 16 October are mentioned as options.

"The parliamentary group has made every possible effort within the 47th National Assembly to form a government. We drew up a programme of governance, but unfortunately “There is Such a People” withdrew support from the legislative programme, which was removed from the agenda of the Bulgarian Parliament yesterday. BSP decided not to name a candidate for Prime Minister and we are returning the mandate as unfulfilled," said Georgi Svilensky, chairman of the BSP for Bulgaria parliamntary group.

Rumen Radev congratulated BSP for its efforts. He said, however, that together with the unfulfilled mandate, the ruling coalition bequeathed chaos in the energy sector, which could grow into a collapse.

Radev took the opportunity to appeal to the MPs for responsibility and finding a solution for appointment of chairperson of the energy regulator, possibly today. He asked for a solution to this extremely important case by the end of the week.

He also wished politicians every success in the forthcoming parliamentary elections.

Regarding the President's appeal, BSP leader, Kornelia Ninova, said that they had made every effort and were fully aware of the burden of the energy regulator not working in the upcoming difficult months.

"We have been accused of holding the mandate in order to stay in power for another week, which is not the case. We are just concerned about the situation in the country and we wanted the negotiations to continue until the issue of the chairperson of the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission is resolved," she said.

BSP returned the mandate unfulfilled after yesterday the item with the governance programme, submitted by BSP leader Kornelia Ninova, was removed from the agenda of the National Assembly with the votes of GERB-UDF, Movement for Rights and Freedoms, Vazrazhdane and "There is Such a People". This means that snap elections are coming

The next step is the President to dissolve Parliament, set a date for early elections and appoint a caretaker government for the fourth time over the past 2 years. The election date depends on when the 47th National Assembly will be dissolved. According to the Constitution, elections for a new National Assembly must be held within two months from the expiry of the term of the previous one.

October 2 is the first possible date in case the President dissolves the current Parliament at the end of the month. In case the head of state decides to extend the work of the MPs for another week - the date would be 9 October. If Rumen Radev decides to comply with the BSP's original idea to keep the Parliament open until August 15 - then Bulgaria will go to the polls on October 16.

Images by Dessislava Kulelieva