Bulgarian parties gamble, risk losing pro-EU government

Bulgaria risks losing its pro-European government if Boyko Borissov’s GERB and We Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria (PP-DB), the two main formations that have been negotiating a cabinet for over a week, fail to reach a deal by midday on Tuesday (19 March).

Nine months ago, GERB and PP-DB cobbled together a cabinet led by PPDB’s Nikolay Denkov under the condition that on 6 March, Denkov would step down and Mariya Gabriel would take over as prime minister. The planned rotation, however, is not going smoothly. For two weeks now, the formations have not agreed on many issues.

On Monday, Gabriel received a mandate from President Rumen Radev to form a government, while many issues between GERB and PP-DB remained contentious.

Gabriel has one week before informing the president of her success or failure to form a cabinet. However, she gave only 24 hours to PP-DB to agree.

“We categorically state that tomorrow, 19 March, the negotiations with PP-DB will be finalised by 12:00 pm,” the GERB press centre later announced.

On Tuesday, Gabriel will present the final decision to President Rumen Radev, said GERB. If the attempt fails, Bulgaria will be headed for early elections that may coincide with the European elections.

The unholy coalition between GERB and PP-DB enjoys the support of another pro-EU party, the Turkish minority party DPS.

While the coalition pursues a pro-European policy, seeking full membership of Schengen and the eurozone, and is in favour of providing military aid to Ukraine, other parties in parliament, including the pro-Russian nationalists of Vazrazhdane, the populists “There is such a people,” and the Bulgarian Socialist Party, take a pro-Kremlin line in the context of the war in Ukraine.

On Monday, DPS co-leader Delyan Peevski, who has been sanctioned for corruption under the Global Magnitsky Act, joined the conversation with a position that his press centre was spreading. “Sit down and sign. You will have the support of the DPS. It’s time for a new beginning for Bulgaria, and the DPS will work for that,” he announced shortly before Gabriel was to receive the mandate.

If this scenario materialises, the parliament could vote for the Gabriel government in time so she could represent her country at the 21-22 European Council meeting.

(Krassen Nikolov | Euractiv.bg)