BSP vows desire for regular government at start of consultations with Continue the Change

Speaking at the start of Tuesday's government-forming talks with Continue the Change, Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) leader and outgoing Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister Korneliya Ninova declared a sincere desire for forming a regular government, without any stalling and waiting for elections. On Monday, President Rumen Radev handed the third government-forming mandate to the BSP.

Turning to the Continue the Change representatives, Ninova said they were expected to nominate the prime minister as the leading force (in the outgoing coalition and the largest group in Parliament).

Bulgaria does not need another political crisis, Continue the Change co-leader and outgoing Prime Minister Kiril Petkov said. He noted that there are 22 pieces of legislation to be adopted in the coming months in relation to the Recovery and Resilience Plan.

Ninova pointed out that they would contact the other partners in the current coalition later in the days and expressed hope that at the end all four formations would gather for negotiations on the basis of the already elaborated programme.

Emerging from the meeting later in the day, Ninova said the sides had reconfirmed the governance and legislative programme compiled two weeks previously. 

The government structure and members will be discussed at a second round of talks, after the consultations with There Is Such a People (TISP) and Democratic Bulgaria, and after the BSP is sure of a majority agreement on the governance and legislative programme, she added.

The BSP leader reiterated that the most important point in this respect would be for both to reconfirm the governance and legislative programme. Talks with TISP may probably be held on Tuesday, to be followed by Democratic Bulgaria, who have expressed the desire to be last.

Continue the Change have undertaken to consider the matter of whom to nominate for prime minister and will do so at the second round of talks, after they see a majority for the governance programme has been assured, Ninova said in response to a question. Personal names will be discussed only after at least 121 votes for policies and the list of legislation to be passed in the next six months have been secured.

The BSP and Continue the Change have decided to leave the programme open for TISP proposals in the name of reaching an agreement. Should one be reached quickly, then personal names could be discussed, Ninova said, adding that difficulties would mean delays.

Concurring with the BSP leader on the quality of the talks, Continue the Change co-leader Assen Vassilev told journalists in Parliament the only condition they had put forward was guarantees that there would be a working anti-corruption majority in Parliament. One that would prove itself by passing the Anti-corruption Bill and by electing Boyko Rashkov chairman of the anti-corruption commission.