What do GERB propose after the elections?

Negotiations to form a cabinet in which the political forces seek agreement on the main issues for future governance, GERB leader Boyko Borissov proposed on the second day after his party won the early parliamentary elections and is expected to receive the first mandate to form a cabinet. In the name of dialogue - Boyko Borissov said he accepted calls to step back and advised the leaders of the other parties to do the same. The leader of GERB outlined the the policy towards the war in Ukraine as the number one topic in the negotiations. Agreement should also be sought on financial, energy and social policy.

After the press conference of GERB today, October 4, it could be said that a political tango is beginning, in which a solution is to be sought, but not for an expert cabinet, but rather for a government to work on a specific programme. The party that won the largest share of votes is proposing to first talk about the issues on which a broad agreement can be found, and it makes an impression that a Euro-Atlantic issue, such as the war in Ukraine and the provision of arms to that country, has been put at the centre.

The other topics are inflation, eurozone membership, finance, the economy and energy diversification.

In his first public appearance since the election, the GERB leader said he was taking a step back to set an example and not set conditions for others.

"I neither want to be a minister, nor an MP, nor a Prime Minister. My moral victory is the pinnacle of what I wanted to happen - GERB is the first political force. Yes, it is a moral victory. A triumph of the obscurantism that was applied to us," he said.

Borissov suggested working groups of experts be formed from the political forces elected to the new parliament to discuss the main issues on which broad agreement could be found. And he pointed to the first topics - the war in Ukraine, curbing inflation, eurozone membership, the economic crisis and energy diversification.

The GERB leader made it clear that there are no taboo topics for his party. He stressed, however, that the talks should be principled and about solutions that produce results.

"Yes, Bulgaria" party talk about judicial reform. We have given ours, but let them say theirs, we will support them. Let them come and say we propose this, this, this and this. But we are not for Boyko Rashkov (former Minister of Interior) against Geshev (Chief Prosecutor). A reform that includes names is not a reform," Borissov said.

According to GERB, the issue of the budget and avoiding the accumulation of a surplus deficit is particularly important and should also be discussed in detail to avoid entering a debt spiral.

"How terrible is what the government of change bequeathed us, the markets showed it again yesterday. Yesterday they asked for 200 million in debt again. They gave them 100 at 4% interest. The country looks disgusting to international and now domestic markets. There is no money in the treasury," he said.

Borissov also commented on the stated position of Kiril Petkov and Assen Vassilev that "We Continue the Change" remain in opposition.

GERB will invite all parties to talks on policies and programme, without pre-conditions. They insist on a clear Euro-Atlantic orientation.

"I do not see a variant in which GERB governs together with MRF or Yanev (leader of “Bulgaria Ascending” party), with "Vazrazhdane", given that we are the most straightforward Euro-Atlantic party. But I also do not see another option for governance. If they refuse to us, we will refuse to them afterwards, but that may mean new elections," he said.

According to Borissov, if there is an agreement on a programme for governance, then we will talk about ministers and a prime minister, which should be generally acceptable names.

"With 67 MPs, neither they had the right to have a prime minister, nor do we if there is no agreement. I am ready to make any compromise, any concession for the sake of the people. And I say this from the position of the first political force. We have no claims whatsoever, except that Rashkov should not be Minister of Interior, the people simply did not elect him," Borissov said.

According to Borissov, the most important thing is for politicians to try to calm the situation and first find an agreement and then talk about the issues that divide them.

The formula that Borissov is proposing today has already been applied during the Grand National Assembly, when Dimitar Popov's cabinet was elected in the midst of a severe crisis. Back then, inflation was literally running rampant after the release of prices, and the then Prime Minister Popov made history with the remark "For God's sake, brothers, don't buy!". Then the formation of this cabinet came about after negotiations between contact groups from all the parties in the Grand National Assembly - these were the BSP, UDF, the Agrar Party BZNS and the MRF.

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