GERB Leader Boyko Borissov on Political Synchrony, ‘Bandit Privatisation’ and the ‘Makeshift’ Structure

GERB leader Boyko Borissov has observed what he described as a “very good synchrony” emerging in recent times between President Rumen Radev, We Continue the Change (WCC), and MRF – The New Beginning, citing as an example their shared idea of closing down the Anti-Corruption Commission (KPKONPI).

On the subject of state properties deemed surplus to requirements, Borissov stressed that privatisation should not be “bandit-like” but transparent.

The GERB leader underscored that throughout his party’s years in government there has not been a single instance of the sale or privatisation of state-owned property of which they were ashamed.

Borissov: GERB has no case of a state property sale or privatisation to be ashamed of.

“A group of left-wing parties, led by a populist president, have simply invented this issue in the middle of the summer, because WCC declared they would ‘defend state property with their bodies’. At the same time, Democratic Bulgaria presents itself as a right-wing party, yet [Delyan] Peevski also ‘defends’ the property. And so does Radev. But they do not say from whom they are defending it. Who exactly is trying to privatise it? And what remains to privatise after the ‘bandit privatisation’ of the past? The battle within the centre-left is now so fierce that they search for a pretext every day. Sadly, in the right-wing space, only we remain. It is easy to make populist claims – ‘for the people’, ‘against privatisation’, ‘against this or that’,” Borissov remarked.

He cited as examples former barracks in Stara Zagora that have been converted into parks, and another case – the barracks in Plovdiv, now overgrown and unused.

“As a right-wing party, we believe the state is not a good steward. All of Europe, the United States, Canada, and Japan operate on the basis of the private sector. Yes, privatisation must be transparent, not bandit-like. I too could defend a derelict barracks in Plovdiv with my body, like [Soviet war hero] Matrosov – it’s just absurd. The government is dealing with wildfires and getting things done – whether good or bad, it is working,” Borissov said.

He also noted the political alignment he sees between certain parties and figures:

“I have observed recently a very good synchrony between Radev, WCC, and The New Beginning. Just watch: every day first Democratic Bulgaria and We Continue the Change come out and say: ‘We’re closing the anti-corruption commision.’ A few days later, Peevski from The New Beginning says: ‘We’re closing the anti-corruption commision, Radev too was in favour of closing it. They disregard the fact that the Recovery and Resilience Plan and subsequent funding tranches explicitly include it, as per the agreed terms. We said: there is a nomination commission, there are rules, they were set during the Petkov (of WCC-DB) government. We follow these rules so that we can report to Brussels and receive our funds.”

When asked whether the government could survive without the support of MRF– The New Beginning, Borissov replied:

“No, it will not lose their support. As I said, the makeshift structure we currently have – even among the three majority parties – demands very high political responsibility from all involved. In my view, The New Beginning will not push for the government’s collapse. If things become unworkable, we will go to elections, and each party will explain to Bulgarians why. For now, they can take a rest while the government works, and then in September start trying to destabilise it, preparing for protests. At present, there are no protests about the mayor of Varna or anything else. But who knows what will happen in a week,” Borissov commented.

The GERB leader believes institutional balance is possible:

“It is possible if the constitution were respected and we had a head of state who acts as a unifier of the nation, rather than one who uses every military academy visit and cadet commissioning ceremony to deliver speeches against a democratically elected government formed by three parties. For months, the government has operated without ambassadors, without a chief secretary, without a head of the State Agency for National Security.”

Ahead of the forthcoming Trump–Putin meeting, Borissov expressed the view that such major powers would not arrange a direct meeting unless there were a concrete plan, and he voiced hope that the plan would be positive for Europe, Ukraine, and Russia alike.