Bulgaria Ruling Party Caught off Guard by 'Borisov for President' News

Bulgaria's Prime Minister Boyko Borisov is suspected of fiddling with the idea of becoming president of the country. Photo by Sofia Photo Agency

The prospect of nominating Bulgaria's Prime Minister Boyko Borisov for president proved to be a big surprise for his own party members.

"This issue has not been discussed either at a meeting of the parliamentary group or in any other form," the chairman of the parliamentary group Krasimir Velchev commented the news on Wednesday.

Velchev assumed that the nomination of the leader came from the municipal and regional structures, but noted that the party leadership will have the final say.

Members of the party, who talked on condition of anonymity, fumed that the party has huge communication problems.

"We learn such things from the news broadcasts, neither the leadership nor the parliamentary group have been informed," GERB party members said, most of whom refused to officially speak on the topic.

"We still do not know the intentions of the leader, whether he agrees to run for president. How can you expect us to make any comments?," they said in response to the journalists' questions.

Earlier in the day Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov broke the news that Prime Minister Boyko Borisov is among the candidates of the ruling GERB party considered to run in the upcoming presidential elections in the autumn.

In his words Boyko Borisov, a lady and one more candidate are the three nominees, which are being discussed by the party at the moment.

Asked who will become prime minister, should Borisov be elected president, Tsvetanov said:

"The puzzle now is totally messed up. We will start to put it back in order after our nominee is officially announced."

Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has recently expressed conviction that his party has among its ranks at least five likely nominees able to sweep the elections for the high, though largely ceremonial, office of president. He has even hinted to journalists that he might run for president.

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