GERB AND PATRIOTIC FRONT REACH AGREEMENT FOR COALITION GOVERNMENT

On 16th of October, the centre-right GERB, which won the largest share of votes in the early parliamentary elections, and the nationalist coalition “Patriotic Front” reached consensus for signing a joint agreement for coalition governance. Thus on the fourth day of the series of political consultations, it emerged that the Patriotic Front, which is in fifth place in the list of elected parties, would participate in a GERB-led coalition.

After the four and a half hour long talks between GERB and the Patriotic Front [comprising the Bulgarian National Movement VMRO and the National Front for the Salvation of Bulgaria (NFSB)], it became clear that the Patriotic Front gave enough guarantees that it would work for a stable government and would agree to sign a joint coalition agreement, which will be valid for a full term of office. They also agreed to support and nominate Boyko Borisov as the Prime Minister. However, specific nominations for ministers were not discussed at the meeting.

On the 18 points for governance, proposed by GERB for negotiations, agreement was reached on 14. There were differences of positions on 4 points – the financial and tax policy, how energy efficiency programme would be funded, the National Health Insurance Fund and pension reform. The proposals made by the Patriotic Front were not discussed. This will happen at the next meeting between the two political forces.

Rumyana Bachvatova from GERB said that the basis for the possible future government would be the jointly signed programme. She added that the representatives of the Patriotic Front consider as very important the content of the programme rather than the personal appointments in the future cabinet and insist that all future appointments be compatible with the qualities of the candidates and their characteristics, which would allow them to implement the joint programme of stable governance.

Valeri Simeonov, leader of the National Front for the Salvation of Bulgaria and co-leader of the Patriotic Front, said that they recognize the right of the largest political party to appoint its candidates for Prime Minister and Chairperson of the National Assembly. He noted that the Patriotic Front was ready to make their specialists available to serve in the future government, if invited to do so, and would take the responsibility for the activities of these people.

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Agreement in principle does not mean a government would be formed. GERB has 84 seats in the future Parliament and the Patriotic Front has 19 seats. Together they would have 103 MPs, which is not enough to form a coalition government. If GERB manages to reach a consensus with the Reformist Bloc, the three political forces would have jointly 126 MPs and would then be able to form a government.

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