The BSP plenum confirmed the decision of the Executive Bureau and the parliamentary group of the BSP coalition for Bulgaria to end the negotiations with GERB-SDS to form a government with the first mandate. BSP leader Kornelia Ninova summarized the decisions:
“The National Council reaffirmed the decision of the Executive Bureau and the parliamentary group to end the negotiations with GERB-SDS for the first term. Second, it instructs the parliamentary group to vote ‘against’ the government proposed by Mrs. Gabriel. Third, when we are invited to the 2nd or 3rd mandate – to participate in the talks. And, fourth, if it is impossible to form a regular government, if a new office of President Radev becomes necessary, BSP members should not participate in it”.
She emphasized that this is a principled position.
“For example, the proposed budget from the service cabinet freezes social spending – frozen minimum wage, frozen maternity, child benefits and so on. And we discussed here both the budget and our social program. The caretaker government also exports weapons to Ukraine. We would not like through representatives of the Bulgarian Socialist Party in the government, and without the consent and without the party being asked, to be identified with such policies”.
Constitutional government, however, does not mean anything, confirmed the leader of BSP.
“A constitutional government, at least to me, and to the law, says nothing. To specify what it is. Mr. Hristo Ivanov spoke about a change in the Constitution – to gather a majority to change the Constitution. But we don’t hear exactly what changes they want. Nothing specific is said. Again, just general talk and slogans”.
BSP deputy and member of the executive bureau of the socialist party Rumen Gechev commented:
“There should be a regular government, but if common sense prevails and we agree on the main priorities, not a list of 20 dreams. There is no way to leave the Bulgarian people with a reset budget after June 10. In the worst case, it will be an extension of the action of the budget, which extension was until the middle of the year. Then things are not so fatal, but they are unpleasant. For the first term, we have said, under this condition, we will not support it, if they get a majority, that is their problem”.