The pro-European coalition We Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria (PP-DB / Renew Europe – EPP) is seeking to reach agreements on anti-corruption reforms in the country ahead of talks to elect the next government, despite the slim chances of reaching an agreement.
Former Bulgarian prime minister Nikolai Denkov, who leads the PP-DB parliamentary group, charged with forming a government, said:
“It’s easy to form a government, it’s hard for that government to do anything useful, so we want to put these important issues at the heart of the next government.”
Denkov also added that “everyone says they want to fight corruption, but that means passing the necessary laws to put them into practice,” he said, emphasising the need for reforms.
The pro-EU coalition announced on Wednesday that four parliamentary factions had expressed a willingness to engage in dialogue, although it is still unclear whether Bulgaria will be able to emerge from its severe political crisis and form a government. The first political force GERB (EPP), the radical Vazrahzdane (Revival) party, the populist ITN and the Bulgarian Socialist Party said they would negotiate.
The Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS, Renew Europe), which represents Bulgaria’s Turkish community, could potentially support the government, but this depends on the president giving enough time. Dzhevdet Chakarov of the DPS, which is ready to negotiate with the PP-DB, said:
“We expect the president to hand over the mandate, and PP-DB to start in-depth talks for a regular government with clear goals and priorities for the country’s development.”
Bulgarians went to the polls in June for the sixth time in three years, but the failure of the largest party, GERB, to form a government has cast doubt on the prospect of new elections in October.
