Cornelia Ninova

“We have to look at the bigger picture – who, when, where he was, when he came back, why he came back, what he did there after he came back, what happened, but it all seems to me like some very bad script and theater played for the audience. It’s as if there is something else behind it and some other interests.” This is what journalist Valentina Voikova commented to radio “Focus”.

“It was as if the puzzle had just begun to be put together and there was hope that some agreement could be reached to have a regular government, that the parties would understand that it was possible to form a regular cabinet and at the same time suddenly this whole show starts with some main charges against Boyko Borisov. Why? Why is some behind-the-scenes intervention again, DPS, Borisov in particular. And in my opinion, the answer is very transparent – simply because Borisov has once again demonstrated exceptional mastery in conducting negotiations, in conducting some political processes, in showing flexibility,” Voikova believes.

According to her, the main question is who is behind this whole scenario: “Who is trying in every possible way to destroy even the fragile understanding between the parties? Because we can already see on Friday at the meeting between GERB and “We continue the change”-“Democratic Bulgaria” there was progress, with the other parties there was also progress. Someone just wants no government. Why after Radev returned from South Africa yesterday, his caretaker minister went on TV to give an interview. And again only Borisov’s name was mentioned, again the whole attack is in this direction. Because it is clear to all of us that regardless of the first, second, third mandate, there is no way to form a regular cabinet without the participation of GERB. And Borisov is a factor in this party, if not the main one,” said Voikova .

She made her educated guess that the person who has an interest in not having a regular cabinet is the president.

“And I can’t say that he creates all these processes entirely, but the discord between the parties I think is somewhat his doing. I am not saying that he is behind the “Geshev” scenario, but Geshev, I am not specifying the personality of Ivan Geshev himself, but the figure of the chief prosecutor was one of the trump cards for reaching an understanding between the parties, and I think that is clear to everyone. I don’t think that what is happening is accidental,” Voikova said.

There are three options for a government before GERB, PP co-chairman Kiril Petkov wrote in his personal Facebook profile.

He makes several points about what he thinks the PP-DB coalition has done so far.

“On the very first day, we clearly stated that Bulgaria needs a regular government, but we cannot support a first term and a mixed cabinet in the second term. With the conviction that the parliament should work efficiently, we proposed a rotation principle for the Speaker of the National Assembly. We proposed a legislative program to be adopted at the head of the mechanism for control over the Prosecutor General and creation of the anti-corruption commission, which GERB accepted. We have proposed a management program for 18 months, which can take Bulgaria to Schengen and the Eurozone, and the utilization of the funds under the Recovery and Sustainability Plan. We proposed a cabinet headed by Academician Denkov, a Bulgarian scientist in the top 1% in the entire world, as well as experts such as Prof. Tagarev in defense,” writes Petkov.

“We did this before handing over the first mandate, so that GERB could make an easy choice that is good for Bulgaria. GERB now has several options,” says Kiril Petkov.

Option A was for GERB to support their government “and control the implementation of its program through the parliament, and thus be part of the decision for Bulgaria to be a normal European country”.

“Option B: GERB can go back to the years behind the scenes, seek support from DPS, BSP and ITN, knowing full well that they have to comply with Mr. Dogan’s cold reserve, work closely with Mr. -n Peevski, to discuss their Euro-Atlantic policies with the BSP, and perhaps with Vazrazhdane as well. This can be called a GERB minority government with the key support of DPS and help from the other parties. Option C: To prefer elections – in reality, however, this leads them to plan B with the DPS, simply that the negotiations will be conducted in T-shirts because of the hotter weather, because the distribution of forces will be fundamentally the same. Here, the president will simply have had 3 more months to rule,” Kiril Petkov’s post claims.

“That’s why we from the PP-DB chose a strategy of transparency – we showed the legislative program, the administrative program, and the full composition of the cabinet so that GERB with the first mandate could have the choice to make an informed decision about the future of Bulgaria. And now – now is the time for their responsibility – a decision that will either move the country forward or we will return to the dark years of corruption and Eurasian rule. It is time for this decision of the first political power and may the European future of Bulgaria prevail!”, writes Petkov.