President consults second largest parliamentary group CC-DB

President Rumen Radev held consultations with representatives of the second parliamentary group Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) on Thursday to discuss possibilities for government formation after holding the same consultations with the first parliamentary force GERB-UDF. Continue the Change (CC) co-chair Kiril Petkov said during the meeting that in case the first mandate of GERB-UDF does not gather a majority, his party is ready to offer a "clear opportunity" for the Bulgarian parliament to elect a government with the second mandate. 

Petkov pointed out that a CC-DB government will be guided by the same priorities - judicial reform and the possibility to investigate the Prosecutor General, combating corruption, Schengen and the eurozone.

He noted that the CC-DB had made it clear that they could not give their support to the first government forming mandate of GERB-UDF. 

CC co-chair Assen Vassilev said that GERB-UDF and CC-DB are opponents, but finally, after two cycles of elections, the political formations have managed to find a legislative basis and formula in parliament so that necessary bills are adopted. Even opponents can and should be respected, but there are clear boundaries that cannot be crossed, he said. There is no way for CC and GERB to work together in a government, Vassilev noted reiterating that CC-DB will not back a GERB-UDF cabinet.

Democratic Bulgaria co-chair Hristo Ivanov commented that the president is "the master of time in this constitutional procedure". He said CC-DB can take responsibility for the governance of the country and offer an option only with the second mandate, but this does not prevent them from working with their opponents on specific tasks and noted that in this respect the coalition is united.

CC-DB co-floor leader Nikolay Denkov said it was very important to reach an agreement on the priority bills. Together with the State Budget Act and the two additional budget-related bills, what has been discussed around the negotiating table is that requires three months of intensive work for the set goals o be achieved, Denkov said.

CC-DB deputy floor leader Vladislav Panev called on the caretaker cabinet to submit the 2023 State Budget Act as soon as possible.

President Radev said that he shared the call and the attitude of the caretaker government to table the State Budget Act because there is no time and no guarantee when a regular government will be formed. 

He noted that if several bills are not adopted in a timely manner, Bulgaria is going to miss a historic window for full European integration. He added that he expects conscious work from everyone in the 49th National Assembly.

President Radev said that during the 48th National Assembly he took a huge political risk and for the first time stretched the procedure so that there could be peaceful communication and dialogue between the parties and a government could be formed, but he noted that none of that happened.

He recalled that a government was not formed, laws were not passed, the pre-election bidding blew up the budget, parliamentary time was mainly used to overhaul the electoral law with the promise that it would raise voter turnout, but it actually led to chaos.

According to Radev, the time was used in questioning caretaker ministers. "Nothing against parliamentary scrutiny - it is right, there should be parliamentary scrutiny, but almost around the clock the caretaker ministers were held accountable given that they were engaged in managing a number of crises, writing missing legislation and taking, because they had to, some strategic decisions," Radev added. He said there should be time, but there should be honest and clear relations. There should be a responsible attitude from everyone in the parliament, Radev stressed.

After the consultations CC co-chair Vassilev told journalists that what was discussed, and the president also said, was that the parliament should work at least until June 15 so that a budget could be adopted. He pointed out that the adoption of a budget takes a minimum of four weeks, and that if it is prepared by a political cabinet with support in parliament, otherwise - five to six weeks.