Will there be new negotiations between the two coalitions GERB-Union of Democratic Forces (GERB-UDF) and We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria (WCC-DB) - this is the big question mark after the unprecedented political scandal and insults uttered by one of the leaders of the WCC - Asen Vassilev against the candidate for prime minister from GERB-UDF Maria Gabriel, reported BGNES.
Vassilev is adamant that there will be no government with Prime Minister Maria Gabriel, there will be no cabinet with the first mandate. Gabriel cannot and should not be the prime minister of Bulgaria, he has no leadership qualities. We must look ahead to the second term, Vassilev said. According to him, the option of Gabriel being a rotating prime minister has been crossed out forever. I apologize to Gabriel if she was affected in a personal capacity, but as a candidate for prime minister - I do not apologize, Vassilev pointed out for his words that Gabriel is the "beautiful face of the mafia in Bulgaria".
Denitsa Sacheva from GERB responded to Vassilev by stating that he is lying without batting an eye. GERB started constructive talks with WCC-DB, saying that we have serious reservations about the personality of Asen Vasilev. The list of ministers in the mandate that Gabriel presented to Rumen Radev was not surprising for the WCC, all the names on it were discussed by the negotiating teams. There are no new names, Sacheva stressed. Right from the beginning, the WCC have given requests through various channels that they are trying to derail the first term, regardless of what they say. Even Asen Vasilev himself admitted that they wanted a government with the second mandate, because they did not want the rotation to happen with the mandate of GERB, explained Sacheva. The WCC constantly wanted to extend the time in the negotiations, they absolutely deliberately procrastinated in order to run out the time of the first mandate. We agree on specific names, the next day the WCC comes and comes up with something new, says Sacheva categorically.
There is no option for a cabinet with a second mandate, said Temenuzka Petkova from GERB. We still have time. Denkov stated that they expect negotiations. Nothing will be achieved with the second term, she is categorical. Whether there will be new talks with WCC-DB depends on Maria Gabriel, Petkova added.
BGNES REMINDS that Maria Gabriel returned the folder for forming a cabinet to the president on March 19 with a full complement of ministers, but later the co-chairs of WCC-DB stated that the composition of the cabinet and the proposed agreement to it were not agreed with them. Maria Gabriel was accused of being the "pretty face of the mafia" and that a "political fraud" had been committed because the announced government included people who did not know they were in it
To this, Maria Gabriel responded with a request for an apology for the epithets and insults, GERB leader Boyko Borisov also stated that there will be negotiations only if the WCC-DB apologizes.
On March 20, the resigned prime minister and proposed vice-prime minister for management of European funds in the "Gabriel" cabinet, Nikolay Denkov, said that the negotiations should continue.
Gen. Atanas Atanasov from DB, after calling on President Radev on March 19 to withdraw his decree on the "Gabriel" cabinet, on March 20 already softened his tone and indicated that, regardless of emotions, there is no need for elections and that he is ready to sit at the negotiating table .
The press office of the president stated that the decree for the "Gabriel" cabinet will not be withdrawn and thus the National Assembly is about to vote on the proposed government, but when this will happen is not yet clear. /BGNES
