Bulgarian Democrats: GERB Cabinet Should Listen to Us

Domestic | July 21, 2010, Wednesday // 16:15|  views

Blue Coalition leaders Ivan Kostov (L) and Martin Dimitrov (R) on their way to a press-conference at Bulgaria's Parliament. Photo by BGNES.

The co-chairs of Bulgaria's right-wing Blue Coalition admonished the GERB government to consult the Coalition to develop a new anti-crisis program in the fall.

Speaking at a press-conference Wednesday Ivan Kostov, leader of Democrats for Strong Bulgaria (DSB) and Martin Dimitrov, leader of the Union of Democratic Forces (UDF) asked that PM Boyko Borisov give his ministers a deadline of September 1 to flesh out specific measures to tackle the downturn, saying that ministers should resign should they fail to do that.

Both leaders complained that their suggestions, presented to the cabinet in March, were not heeded, adding that if they were included in the government's program they would already have had a positive impact on the economy.

Kostov, who was Bulgaria's PM 1997-2001, issued an edificatory call to the GERB party to learn from the way he tackled the 1996-7 crisis he inherited when coming to power and bewailed GERB's reluctance to do so.

Each of the two “blue” democratic parties presented its own draft of an anti-crisis program at the press-conference Wednesday.

The UDF plan includes a strong emphasis on macroeconomic stability, cutting down spending, stimulation of businesses and investing in infrastructure. It also calls for stopping the Belene NPP project as useless and detrimental to state coffers, asking instead for better energy efficiency.

DSB also insists on involvement with businesses, joining UDF in a call for a full reimbursement of arrears owed to firms by the state. DSB's proposal also includes the creation of a position of deputy-PM in charge of EU funds in a bid to ensure greater absorption.

The GERB government has minority support in Parliament (117 MPs out of 240) and has relied on support by the Blue Coalition (14MPs) and nationalist far-right party Ataka (21 MPs).

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Tags: Ivan Kostov, Martin Dimitrov, Democrats for Strong Bulgaria, DSB, Union of Democratic Forces, UDF, GERB cabinet, anti-crisis measures, budget revision, Belene NPP

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