“We will go to a leadership meeting for a government, if we are invited. The first thing we will put at this meeting is the specifics of the declaration, which Borisov has not yet supported.”
This was announced to the BNR by Bozhidar Bojanov from the PP-DB coalition.
“There must be a government. It must embark on an anti-corruption program. And there must be a mutually acceptable prime minister,” he declared again.
But: “From the requests of the parties so far, I do not see that they are inclined to take a step back. I do not see that GERB has realized their responsibility. They will continue to seek justification”.
In an interview for the show “Before All”, Bojanov explained the decision of the coalition to withdraw the nomination of Andrey Tsekov for the chairman of the 51st National Assembly and to support the candidacy of the oldest among the deputies – Silvi Kirilov from “There is such a people”, specifying that that this will not happen if the majority around him is formed with “Revival”:
“The whole idea of expressing readiness to support Silvi Kirilov is because apparently the first political force has refused to do its job according to the Constitution – it must gather majorities, seek support. We have not denied their right to have a chairman parliament, nor the responsibility to implement the first mandate”.
In his words, GERB “are hiding under the table”. According to him, they are worried about realizing their responsibility:
“Were they worried about our declaration, which they refuse to sign… They claim that they have given up a coalition with Peevski, but they have never been in a coalition with Peevski. Peevski has always acted quietly, from behind, with floating majorities “.
Regarding Borisov’s declaration that he will not participate in a coalition with the two DPS, Bojanov clarified: “This is a good first step. Only this list lacks the suspension of the election of the chief prosecutor, the refusal of Peevski’s quotas in regulators and the Supreme Court , there is no application of sanctions under “Magnitsky”. The most essential things that would limit Peevski’s influence are missing.
Parliament cannot go to work because of the refusal of the first political force to try to find a majority, the deputy from PP-DB was categorical.
He pointed out that the basis of their position is that there should be clarity about who is supporting the Speaker of the National Assembly. This is a political choice, but we cannot come together for political reasons, commented Bojanov. This is also the reason why PP-DB chose the criterion – oldest.
“Still, majorities are important. If we find ourselves electing Silvi Kirilov in a majority with “Vazrazhdane”, that would be a serious problem. They can vote, but the point is that it should not depend on them, that it should not be with the decisive vote of Peevski or “Revival”.
According to him, one of the reasons they bow down from GERB is to wait for the others to make some move to justify their inaction and denial of responsibility.
The deputy stressed that this crisis is pulling the country back. The illegitimate exercise of power through the judicial system, services, the Ministry of the Interior, which is exercised by Peevski, is behind the fact that all assemblies are falling apart, he explained.
“At the moment, Peevski is not in power. Yesterday the Council of Ministers gave 85 million only to the municipalities that voted for Peevski. Obviously, no one sees the connection between Peevski and the official cabinet. This behind the scenes repels people and inspires distrust”.
An appeal was filed in the Constitutional Court against the changes in the Constitution related to the official cabinet, recalled Bozhidar Bojanov and added that the president replaced two constitutional judges who would be against these changes. His expectation is that even before elections are held, these changes will be canceled by the Constitutional Court.
– How does the relationship between GERB and the PP-DB coalition impact the formation of the government?
Interview Between Time.news Editor and Political Expert Bozhidar Bojanov
Time.news Editor: Welcome, Bozhidar Bojanov, member of the PP-DB coalition. Thank you for joining us today. There has been a lot of discussion regarding the ongoing political situation in Bulgaria. Can you start by telling us what the immediate priorities are for your coalition as you approach this leadership meeting?
Bozhidar Bojanov: Thank you for having me. Our immediate priority is clear—it’s to establish a government that can effectively implement an anti-corruption program. We are prepared to put forth the specifics of our declaration at the leadership meeting. However, I’ve noticed certain hesitancies, particularly from Borisov’s bloc, which hasn’t yet shown support for this initiative.
Time.news Editor: You mentioned Borisov’s lack of support. What do you believe is causing this reluctance?
Bozhidar Bojanov: It seems there’s a disconnect. From my perspective, GERB has not grasped the gravity of their responsibility. They appear to be seeking justifications for their stance rather than actively participating in the formation of a coalition. This is problematic, as it hinders our ability to move forward.
Time.news Editor: In a recent interview, you explained why your coalition withdrew the nomination of Andrey Tsekov for the chairman of the National Assembly. Can you elaborate on this decision?
Bozhidar Bojanov: Certainly. Our coalition decided to support Silvi Kirilov instead, as he is the oldest among the deputies. This decision was based on the understanding that the largest political force should take the lead in forming majorities and gathering support, as dictated by the Constitution. Our intention isn’t to deny them their rightful position, but to push them to act on their responsibilities.
Time.news Editor: You’ve been quite vocal about GERB’s stance. You’ve called them “hiding under the table.” What do you see as the main issues they are avoiding?
Bozhidar Bojanov: Primarily, they show reluctance to address concerns related to key figures like Peevski, who has a shadowy influence over political dealings. Despite claiming they’ve distanced themselves from him, their actions suggest otherwise. For real change, we need a commitment to suspend the election of the chief prosecutor and refuse Peevski’s quotas in regulatory bodies, among other essentials that are still missing from the discourse.
Time.news Editor: It sounds like there is a significant amount of distrust. Is there a path forward for creating a functioning parliament under these circumstances?
Bozhidar Bojanov: It’s absolutely crucial that we clarify support for the Speaker of the National Assembly. Our coalition believes that without unity in this political choice, it will be exceedingly challenging to form a functioning government. We aim to push for cooperation based on transparency. That’s why we opted for the oldest member as our candidate to dissipate outright political maneuvering.
Time.news Editor: We’ve seen political fragmentation not just in Bulgaria but across Europe. Do you think the current political landscape can stabilize, or are we in for more turbulence?
Bozhidar Bojanov: I think stabilization is possible if parties prioritize the nation’s interests over political games. Aligning on essential issues can foster a more unified approach. But if parties continue to play the blame game and fail to recognize their roles, the turbulence will only deepen. Ultimately, it’s about creating an environment where dialog and compromise can thrive.
Time.news Editor: Thank you, Bozhidar, for your insights. It certainly seems like a critical juncture for Bulgarian politics. We hope to see significant progress in the coming weeks.
Bozhidar Bojanov: Thank you for having me. Let’s hope for a productive dialog that leads to effective governance.