EPP Group Chairman: Bulgaria Not Ready for Grand Coalition

Joseph Daul, who heads the European People's Party (EPP) Group in the European Parliament, has urged Bulgarian politicians to form a government after uniting around certain priorities.

In an interview with Bulgarian daily 24 Chasa Daul also called on the Reformist Bloc to take a final decision on its participation in the Bulgarian government to prevent instability "that could go on for months."

"Winter is coming, there is a banking problem. These are problems that need to be solved. And responsible people are needed to take these decisions".

Daul said he was optimistic about the current government negotiations after holding talks with various political leaders at the National Assembly, but added it was too early for Bulgaria to have a coalition between socialists and conservatives in the executive.

The EPP Group's Chair reiterated what he told journalists on Wednesday, hours after his joint statement with GERB leader Boyko Borisov in Parliament, insisting his visit to Bulgaria was not related to the consultations.

He explained it had been planned beforehand and the initial idea was to show support for GERB and its political family in the last day of the election campaign before the snap vote on October 5.

His trip was however postponed due to the tragedy at the Gorni Lom munitions plant and the day of national mourning that followed.

"I told Boyko [Borisov] I would come when we set a date. And when we did, I had no idea about such a coincidence in time [with government negiotiations]. I am not here to apply any kind of pressure at all," Daul told Bulgarian weekly Capital.

Just after Daul's talks with Borisov and other leaders on Wednesday, Borisov surprisingly said he utterly rejected any prospects of shaking hands with the nationalist Patriotic Front (PF) as a possible partner in government.

GERB's leader explained the PF's declaration during Parliament's opening session on Monday was unacceptable due to its incompatibility with "Euro-Atlantic" values.

Daul has also been explicit over the past hours that the EPP is strongly against any participation of the PF in Bulgaria's cabinet.

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