Mariya Gabriel Demands Apology Amid Political Turmoil in Bulgaria (UPDATED)

Tensions flare in Bulgarian politics as Mariya Gabriel, the GERB candidate for Prime Minister, demands an apology for perceived insults and epithets directed towards her. Speaking at a parliamentary briefing, Gabriel expressed her discontent, emphasizing that she had refrained from similar behavior for nine months and expected acknowledgment of her adherence to constitutional norms.

"I expect an apology for the epithets and insults. I have not allowed myself anything like that for 9 months. This will continue. I expect an apology because I have not violated the Constitution. The decree was issued to appoint a prime minister. Regarding the ministers, I remind you that all ministers who are still in even though resigned made a commitment 9 months ago for a period of 18 months. It is their right to appeal but at this point it can be interpreted in a different way. I continue to believe that Bulgaria needs a government, the country needs stability, we need a government of shared responsibility. In it, the two partners - GERB AND WCC-DB, should be on an equal footing. We work in a team that you trust and I think that now is the moment when we all have to continue to show our responsibility towards Bulgaria," said Mariya Gabriel at a briefing in the parliament.

"Just a month ago, Mr. Petkov and I talked about the changes in the office," Borissov noted.

Resigned Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov told BTV that he has confidence in Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mariya Gabriel, although yesterday she announced the composition of the cabinet, which she did not agree with WCC-DB. He called for government talks to resume to restore trust between the two political forces."If she is ready, she should come back to the negotiating table. |This is the only option that can bring us positively out of the current situation. I still hope that reason will prevail, we have five more days to finish the negotiations in a sensible way. No, however, I'm sure that the other WCC-DB politicians are ready to take such a step. The only way is to get back on the right track of seeking consent. If anyone has to go in that direction, it's not us. It's the people on the other side," Denkov added.

The resigned Prime Minister also told how it came to include people in the composition of the government proposed by Gabriel, about whom WCC-DB were not notified. "I learned that there is a list of names of ministers from the media when it was presented to the presidency. Before that, and in a personal conversation with Mrs. Gabriel and during the negotiations, we explicitly asked her if they would not introduce names that we did not agree on. She answered: 'That won't happen, that won't be me,'" explained Denkov.

"The declarations of refusal given yesterday are in violation of our agreement that these offices will work in rotation for 18 months in order to ask for their consent. And looking at them, they didn't stop traveling abroad, thinking they were done, nor did they stop making decisions for hundreds of millions." This is how GERB leader Boyko Borissov commented on yesterday's decision of the ministers nominated by "We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria" to withdraw.

According to him, the only dispute was about the Minister of Defense Todor Tagarev. "We made a compromise, you know about the minister of sports, they accepted Zhecho Staykov for energy, if Rumen Radev becomes the head of the Bulgarian Energy Holding, those were the only controversial moments," added Borissov.

On the occasion of yesterday's briefing, he expressed surprise that in 9 months of "We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria" they have not learned not to use epithets. "It is already difficult to make the party go back," Borissov summarized, not hiding that he was offended by Asen Vassilev's statement that Mariya Gabriel is the new beautiful face of the mafia.

"I call on them to immediately apologize, both to GERB and above all to Mariya Gabriel," said the leader of GERB. He clarified that there is a way back, but everything depends on whether Mariya Gabriel and the GERB parliamentary group would accept a possible apology.

"The negotiating team was made to make things happen, not to blame them. Yesterday we did the same thing you did a week ago, after they surprised us and returned the mandate," Borissov also said.

Gabriel's and Borisov's remarks come in the aftermath of her return of the completed mandate for President Rumen Radev's cabinet. However, it emerged that the folder submitted to the president lacked the approval of "We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria" (WCC-DB) along with their proposed ministerial nominees.

The absence of consensus became glaringly evident when only the GERB negotiating team appeared at the presidency, leaving their proposal for the Council of Ministers composition unopposed. Despite this, President Radev proceeded to sign a decree, effectively signaling approval for the proposed ministerial lineup.

This unprecedented turn of events has left Bulgaria's political landscape in disarray, raising questions about potential next steps. With the parliamentary vote on the Council of Ministers composition looming, the nation braces for further political maneuvering and uncertainty.

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