Is there support for GERB's mandate to form a cabinet - political reactions

President Rumen Radev will hand over the first mandate for forming a government on Monday, December 5, at 10.00 am, to the largest parliamentary group in the 48th National Assembly - GERB-UDF.

The GERB-UDF group has 67 MPs from the 240-seat Parliament.

"We Continue the Change" will not support the government proposed with the first mandate of GERB, said the party's co-chair Kiril Petkov.

They are, however, ready, in front of the cameras and in Parliament, to talk to anyone and support solutions that coincide with the 16 points they have already proposed.

According to Petkov, the so-called "paper ballot coalition" of GERB, Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) and the Movement for Rights and Feedoms (MRF) (referring to the support for re-introduction of the use of paper ballots alongside with voting machines in elections) can make a government.

Petkov was not definite whether with a possible second mandate they would propose a minority government, but he is sceptical about such an option. The reason is the re-introduction of the use of the paper ballot and the refusal of GERB, BSP and MRF to leave the machine protocol as part of the election papers.

According to Petkov, this means that there cannot be a sufficient majority to support anti-corruption policies and reforms.

MRF expects GERB to take the first mandate seriously and real talks to form a government to start in the National Assembly. Yordan Tsonev of MRF called this "a topic of topics" because, in his words, there must be a regular government.

Kornelia Ninova confirmed the position of BSP that they would not support the first mandate. The leader of the left, however, believes that there are chances for forming a government within the current Parliament, but did not specify which of the mandates.

Hristo Ivanov of “Democratic Bulgaria” said they would not participate in talks for a cabinet with GERB's first mandate. And he, like Kiril Petkov, predicts the possibility of a cabinet with those who supported the "deletion of the machines" - GERB, BSP and MRF.

Ivanov is sceptical about the possibility of the second mandate of "We Continue the Change" to form a minority cabinet because he does not see a majority in Parliament to support reformist policies. In his opinion, a formula for a cabinet could be sought with the third mandate, but he is sure that this mandate will not be handed to Democratic Bulgaria.

The leader of “Bulgaria Ascending”, Stefan Yanev, said he would not be a candidate for Prime Minister with GERB's mandate. He has not received an invitation and no such talks have been held with him. Yanev added that his dream is not to be Prime Minister.

"Bulgaria Ascending" are ready to talk with anyone who invites them about the programme and policy of a future cabinet and, in the presence of common views, to continue the conversation about the line-up. Yanev said that the largest parliamentary group should be given peace of mind to hold talks for the first mandate.

"If the first two mandates to form a cabinet are unsuccessful with the third one the formula is 160 plus support," Yanev said.

According to him, this means a broad agreement in Parliament that there should be a government.