- The leader of GERB laid the framework
- In a situation with an 18 billion deficit, two wars and neighboring Macedonia turning towards China, a strong and experienced politician was needed at the head of the government, not a person who would not have the courage to make decisions
Boyko Borisov put himself in the frame for prime minister to signal to PP-DB that he is the acceptable figure for this post. And it was not for nothing that the leader of GERB categorically rejected the profile of the “equally distant prime minister”, whom Kiril Petkov, Atanas Atanasov, Nikolay Denkov and Asen Vasilev talked about throughout the campaign. Without specifying a name.
Borisov’s strategy was described by two of the leading figures in GERB as a need for a strong and experienced prime minister, not a person who would not have the courage to make decisions. The situation with the 18 billion deficit in the budget, the two wars and neighboring Macedonia turning towards China showed, according to the analysis of the winner of the elections, that this was the direction. And that’s why the leader of GERB confirmed it with the allegedly dropped line on election day: “Beware of Gundi in the last seconds.” And at the end of it
explained that he sees himself as the legendary nine, something of a center-forward in politics
We won in the last seconds. When everyone was calling us names, gossiping, etc., explained Borisov at his first briefing on the night of the elections in 8 years. GERB actually won 642,931, which is 112,273 more than the previous vote.
And as a top scorer, he again offered himself as prime minister. By making it clear that he is in a position to set conditions, not others on him.
Borisov categorically rejected the idea of the PP-DB for an equidistant prime minister and declared that this was a “replacement of the vote”. Nobody voted for a person whose name we don’t knowthe former Prime Minister was angry. He was adamant that
is ready to negotiate a government with all those who support the program of GERB,
because she is liked by the voters. He added that it refers to everyone in the parliament with the exception of “Vazrazhdane”.
However, when asked if he will run for prime minister, Borissov did not answer directly. But he actually confirmed that his intention was such. The one who got you into the waiting room of the Eurozone is called GERB and Boyko Borisov. Is there anyone with a better contact in Brussels than GERB? he addressed the reporters.
Borisov has the support of GERB to be at the head of the government again. During the entire campaign, his deputies criticized PP-DB’s idea of an equidistant prime minister, and they gave their leader as an example of a suitable one. The longest reigning prime minister in the history of Bulgaria – 9 years, 10 months and 14 days. Only Stanko Todorov was in office longer than him, and for only 26 days, during the communist era.
“No” to a government headed by Borissov is already firmly said by the PP-DB. How does Borisov imagine that he will return on a white horse as prime minister? That won’t happen asked Kiril Petkov in an interview for “24 Chasa” at the end of the campaign. And on election day, he continued to insist on an equidistant expert. A formula that is accepted by the BSP.
Despite the self-nomination, Borisov-Gundy is aware that football is not played with only a center forward. And in modern football, more emphasis is placed on attacking midfielders and the so-called light strikers.
It is possible that the leader of GERB will still propose another figure besides himself for prime minister.
Various names have been floating around during the campaign, but that doesn’t quite propel them to this post.
Borisov once played with an expert as a candidate for Prime Minister – when in the 48th National Assembly in 2022 he nominated Prof. Nikolay Gabrovski. His proposed government, which was also composed mainly of experts, did not receive support in parliament.
The PP describes the desired prime minister as an economist or a lawyer,
to agree to stand behind him and behind a certain program (according to Kiril Petkov).
He may be a former constitutional judge, who is both well-placed in GERB, but has also proven over the years that he is not tied to Borisov’s party. At least such a profile was described by DSB leader Atanas Atanasov before the elections. And according to his words, as well as those of Borisov, the two discussed names.
That’s why the name appeared Philip Dimitrov. whose mandate in the CC ends in November and will be replaced by presidential candidate Rumen Radev. Dimitrov was the prime minister of the first government of the SDF, he is one of the most respected lawyers in Bulgaria, he worked in high diplomatic posts and there are no doubts about his integrity. And at the same time, he was always in respectful relations with Borisov and GERB.
And PP-DB are probably looking at a former prime minister, but an official and a career diplomat, such as our ambassador in London Marin Raikov. It is associated more with blues, but has also worked well with GERD. He was deputy foreign minister in Ivan Kostov’s government, but nearly 10 years later he took the same post in Borisov’s first cabinet, before leaving as ambassador to France. In 2013, he was acting prime minister in a government appointed by President Rosen Plevneliev.
If we start from the profile set by Kiril Petkov of Mario Draghi – an economist, manager and with an international image, the first name that pops up, but has already been rejected, is that of Kristalina Georgieva. He was head of the World Bank, where Mario Draghi, quoted by PP-DB, also had a career. And because of the 71-year-old financier, they changed the statutes of the IMF, at the head of which she began her second 5-year term.
Another ex-caretaker minister also floated as a possible candidate – Atanas Pekanov. However, the economist and financial expert is more closely associated with Radev, after he was deputy prime minister in the governments of Stefan Yanev and Galab Donev appointed by him.
“Such a comparison can only flatter me, since for years I have been teaching students about Draghi’s successful measures as president of the European Central Bank, which saved the euro,” commented Pekanov on the occasion of his comparison with Draghi, but added that conversations with him did not are led and does not believe there is.
Among the usual “suspects” for prime ministers is Daniel Valchev. The dean of the Faculty of Law of Sofia University is mentioned in every distribution of important posts – president, European commissioner, prime minister. He entered politics in 2001 as one of the leading lawyers of the royalist party. He was elected deputy prime minister and minister of education in the government of Stanishev and the triple coalition.
Another figure from royal times is Nikolay Vassilev, who entered politics with the yuppies from London who returned to Bulgaria with Tsar Simeon. He was deputy prime minister in the Saxe-Coburg cabinet, where he was minister of transport and then of the economy. During the triple coalition, he was the Minister of Administration.
In fact, Vassilev was already one step away from the prime ministership in 2021 as Slavi Trifonov’s nomination, but hours before the parliament was to vote on Vassilev’s government, his candidacy was withdrawn by Slavi.
A professor at INSEAD in Singapore has been floated as a potential candidate for prime minister Ilian Mihov. He is one of the 500 top economists in the world. Disciple of former US Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. Prof. Mihov was launched in 2010 as deputy prime minister in the first GERB government, but Kostov, whose DSB party was part of Borisov’s administration, opposed his candidacy.