Political Consultations Convened by President Radev Completed

Political Consultations with parties represented in the new National Assembly with the President Rumen Radev continued throughout the day.

Before opening the first meeting Radev addressed the parties, saying:

"I call on you and all parliamentary groups to bear responsibility - without shaking it off, but without going beyond your commission."

GERB-UDF

The GERB-UDF parliamentary group was represented at the meeting by floor leader Desislava Atanasova, outgoing Deputy Prime Minister Tomislav Donchev and Daniel Mitov, whom the group will nominate for prime minister.

During the meeting with the representatives of the coalition Radev addressed the constitutional issues raised by their party leader and outgoing Prime-Minister Borissov:

 “The government has tendered its resignation and the outgoing Prime Minister is on leave, when in accordance with the Constitution, the responsibility for governing Bulgaria rests with this government until the Prime Minister and the ministers hand the keys to their offices to the next government”

Bulgaria should have a government with overwhelming parliamentary support - this, according to GERB representatives, was the consensus point in their talks with President Rumen Radev.

On behalf of GERB-UDF Atanassova said that they are ready both to be in opposition and to govern the country, as well as for a caretaker government.

GERB demanded the cabinet be formed as quick as possible, willing to "lend" 2-3 MPs to support Slavi Trifonov's second largest party "There is such a people", said Deputy Prime Minister Donchev.

There is such a people

Second largest parliamentary party "There is such a people" was represented at the consultations by the party's deputy chairman Toshko Yordanov and party leaders Victoria Vasileva and Filip Stanev.

In the address to the media, Rumen Radev emphasized the important role that voters have given to the party of TV presenter Slavi Trifonov -  the opportunity to form a cabinet if GERB-UDF fails.

The only statement of "There is such a people" after the consultations with the President said that they would not coalesce with the “status quo” parties and a government can possibly be formed only with the support of other protest formation, such as Democratic Bulgaria and "Stand up! Mafiosi Out!". Yordanov confirmed that There is such a people is ready to shoulder responsibilities as the second largest political force in the National Assembly.

BSP

"During today's consultations I will ask you and all parliamentary parties after you the question of how ready you are to implement the third mandate to form a government" - with these words President Rumen Radev addressed the Bulgarian Socialist Party representatives at the beginning of their meeting.

According to the Constitution, if the first two largest parliamentary groups fail to form a cabinet or it is not approved by the National Assembly, the mandate for government is handed over to a third parliamentary group at the discretion of the President.

Party Leader Kornelia Ninova reiterated that BSP will vote down GERB's cabinet.

Bulgarian Socialist Party has confirmed to the president its would support the government of There is such a people in compliance with the pre-formulated conditions, leader of the Socialist Party Kornelia Ninova declared after consultations with Rumen Radev.

MRF

Rumen Radev met the leader of the "Movement for Rights and Freedoms" Mustafa Karadayi and asked what the party would do if the third mandate to form a government is serviced to MRF.

Karadayi has affirmed his party's stand: it would not support GERB or BSP government, but would support the government of one of the new formations if they set as priority tackling the COVID crisis, amending the Recovery and Resilience Plan and developing a program for accelerated economic development.

After the meeting MRF leader Mustafa Karadayi indirectly accused the largest party in parliament, GERB, of arrogance and aggression. Without quoting names, he said that aggression, and arrogance are a "trademark" of one parliamentary group in the National Assembly, obviously referring to GERB which has been in isolation during the first two days of the 45th National Assembly.

Democratic Bulgaria

During the meeting with the President the reps of Democratic Bulgaria stated that they don’t see a reason to implement the third mandate to form a government if the first and second largest political forces fail to do it.

"We do not think that with 27 seats we have the right to be serviced a third mandate" said co-chairman of the coalition Hristo Ivanov at the beginning of the presidential consultations.

According to him, the firm basis on which efforts should be focused is the mandate of the second political formation - There is such a people. Democratic Bulgaria is ready to hold constructive talks with Svali Trifonov's party, on which the majority of voters seeking change in the political system have pinned their hopes.

Hristo Ivanov warned that the main goal of the talks between political parties and institutions should be to provide parliamentary support not only for a new government, but for the implementation of certain policies that will lead Bulgaria out of the crisis.

After the talks, Democratic Bulgaria said that the party was ready to turn its back on differences with the other new parties in parliament, in the name of a change. "We are ready to forget the differences because the common views and goal we share are more important" Ivanov said.

Stand up! Mafiosi Out

Maya Manolova, leader of "Stand Up! Mafiosi Out!", said it was unlikely that the coalition, with its 14 MPs, would be able to implement a mandate to form a government. At the same time, however, she called on the president, if this is the final option, to hand over the mandate to one of the new parties in the National Assembly, because this would be an opportunity to form a government of change.