GERB and "MRF- New Beginning" Agree Not to Change the Current Form of Support for the Government - Political Reactions and Comments

GERB–UDF and “MRF – New Beginning” on October 22 announced their support for a full-term government, with both parliamentary groups agreeing that the current model of political backing will remain unchanged. "MRF – New Beginning" will continue to back the Government but will not participate in the executive branch or in the leadership of parliamentary committees.

The opposition, however, described the move as a capitulation by GERB leader Boyko Borissov to MRF co-chair Delyan Peevski.

How did this decision come about and what are the opposition's comments?

BNT: Why did you give up on restructuring the cabinet?

Boyko Borissov, GERB-UDF:“When something is to be reformatted, there needs to be willingness from everyone.

BNT:Who was not willing?

The other two parties (in the ruling coalition — the Bulgarian Socialist Party and There Is Such a People) didn’t have that desire, so we postponed it. As always, I invited Delyan and his people and asked under what conditions this government could continue. They came, we talked, and without asking for anything, they said they’d support the government.

BNT: Will they take on responsibility for governing?

Borissov: “No — the responsibility lies with GERB and the other two parties.”

BNT: Will there be a rotation of the Speaker of the National Assembly?

Borissov: “For us, it’s mandatory, and I hope our colleagues will comply — the three parties should rotate the position every year.”

Ivan Petkov, BSP - United Left:

“We have a National Council meeting on Sunday, where we’ll decide on our next steps. As for the idea of rotating the Speaker — they came out with this position officially, but in my view, it’s wrong. Everything I had to say, I already said yesterday to the parliamentary group and the Executive Bureau, and I’ll repeat it on Sunday at the National Council.”

Bozhidar Bozhanov, We Continue the Change–Democratic Bulgaria (WCC–DB):

“After Borissov’s grand theatrical poses, the ‘big news’ boiled down to a minor Facebook post about a possible rotation of parliamentary speakers and a humiliating photo symbolising the merger of GERB and the ‘New Beginning’. A captured state cannot be ‘reformatted’ — it must be liberated.”

Kostadin Kostadinov, Vazrazhdane: “I laughed when I read the latest MRF press release — it reminded me of the old slogan ‘Two parties, one goal’. But in this case, it’s not two parties with one goal — it’s two parties, one man. I saw the picture of the sad Borisov sitting next to the triumphant Peevski, only here we do not have two parties one goal, here we have two parties one person. In practice, GERB capitulated to Peevski."

Ramadan Atalay, Alliance for Rights and Freedoms: “I have the feeling that Mr Borissov won’t endure this punishment.”

Radostin Vassilev, MECH (Morality, Unity, Hounour): “Borissov is politically destroyed. His word means nothing — not to BSP, not to There is Such a People. Whatever he says, the opposite happens. Kiselova (Speaker of Parliament) won’t be replaced, and no ministers will be reshuffled.”

Krasimira Katincharova, Velichie:“We would not support a rotation of the Speaker. It makes no difference who among the ruling coalition holds the post.”