Only three parties responded to BSP leader's invitation for a meeting for the third government-forming mandate

A day before the leadership meeting at the invitation of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), it seems that the country is heading for another early elections. Four political parties - GERB, "We Continue the Change", "Vazrazhdane” and "Democratic Bulgaria" - said they would not support a government with a mandate of the left-wing. Despite the preliminary requests, three parties will still respond to Kornelia Ninova's invitation for a joint leadership meeting tomorrow, January 20, in Parliament to elect a government with the third mandate - these are GERB-UDF, Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) and "Bulgaria Ascending".

The leadership meeting, which the BSP is organising in connection with the third mandate to seek to form a government, will be held tomorrow at 11:00 in the National Assembly, BSP party leader Kornelia Ninova said on January 19. The GERB-UDF announced that they will go to the meeting but will not support a government with a BSP mandate.

"We Continue the Change" and "Democratic Bulgaria" will not participate in the joint meeting, but are ready for a bilateral or tripartite meeting with the BSP. They also said they would not support a government with a third mandate.

MRF and "Bulgaria Ascending" will announce their position after the leadership meeting. "Vazrazhdane" said it would not participate in the joint meeting.

Kornelia Ninova has sent written invitations and personally talked to the leaders of the parties in Parliament about the joint meeting.

Kornelia Ninova - Chair of the "BSP for Bulgaria" Parliamentary Group: "Some confirmed, some said they would discuss in their groups.

- Who will discuss?

- Let's leave it for tomorrow so they can decide what to do and tomorrow at 11:00 we will see who will come.

- After today's talks with the leaders, do you have any hope that there is a chance for a cabinet?

- Moderately, let's put it that way. Yes, I spoke to Mr Borissov and he confirmed.

Later on Facebook, Boyko Borissov (GERB leader) confirmed that he would participate in the leadership meeting but would not support the BSP's efforts to form a government.

Boyko Borissov - Chairman of GERB: "I talked to Ms Ninova about a leadership meeting and I said I would attend. I did not put conditions. The decision of our party’s assembly is clear - we cannot participate or support a BSP cabinet. However, I think it is time for a serious conversation between the leaders of the parties. We owe respect and responsibility to our voters.

"We Continue the Change" will not support a BSP cabinet, the party's leadership decided last night. They would discuss with the left only topics that are a priority for them. According to Kiril Petkov, it makes sense to participate in a leadership meeting if a coalition government is being formed.

Kiril Petkov – “We Continue the Change” PG: "We will not be part of such a coalition government, so we told Ms Ninova that we would be happy to sit with BSP and “Democratic Bulgaria” even together - in this triple format to talk about all important priorities and policies, but to sit together at a leadership meeting to form a government with GERB, MRF and Bulgaria Ascending - at this time we do not see any need for this."

"Democratic Bulgaria" do not refuse a conversation with BSP, but prefer the meeting to be bilateral, maybe even tripartite with "We Continue the Change".

Hristo Ivanov - Chairman of the “Democratic Bulgaria” Parliamentary Group: "The chances of getting support from us are not great because of the big differences we have. From this point of view, if BSP seeks our support, we would prefer to hold meetings in a bilateral format. This National Assembly could not produce a consensus that could elect a government. And as it is on its way out, apart from a memorial service, I do not see what exactly we can do. We are going to elections, that is the reality."

According to MRF, one of the serious problems of the current Parliament is the lack of dialogue between the political forces.

Yordan Tsonev, deputy chairman of the MRF group. This is a big problem, because the attitude of the proxies of the “Capital” circle is that if they cannot form a government, they would obstruct any other government. That is the big truth."

"Vazrazhdane” don't see the point of a leadership meeting.

Kostadin Kostadinov, "Vazrazhdane" group: "I will not go to the meeting, we said that there is no point of such a meeting, because we see each other every Wednesday, and there is no result, there will not be any from this one too. If we have talks at all, they will only be bilateral, but again I say the third mandate will not happen, there will simply be no government and this is a final agony of this National Assembly. I think next week the best solution that can happen is that the mandate be returned."

According to Bulgaria Ascending, result is possible if there is dialogue.

Stefan Yanev, Chairman of the Bulgaria Ascending PG: "The decision is that we will participate in the talks and the truth will be born in the dialogue. We will assess the priorities that we can support and we will move forward. For us the priorities are focused on domestic politics. - Will you insist on a written agreement? - Yes."

In the BNT programme "The Day Begins", the chairman of the Sofia organisation of the BSP, Ivan Takov, said he was pessimistic about the realisation of the third mandate. He also said what exactly the decision of the party's plenum was.

The National Council of the BSP yesterday gave a mandate to Kornelia Ninova to negotiate with the other leaders of political parties. But that was all. We have not given a mandate to form a government, coalition formulas, names and the way of participation.

According to Takov, a leadership meeting is an opportunity to restore dialogue between the parties. His assessment is that at the moment BSP is not in good condition. He believes that this trend should be reversed with clear and concrete policies from the party leadership.

Чуйте последните новини, където и да сте!
Последвайте ни във Facebook и Instagram
Следете и канала на БНТ в YouTube
Вече може да ни гледате и в TikTok
Намерете ни в Google News