Bulgaria's GERB Snubs Ethnic Turks' Endorsement

GERB leader and Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, says his party did not want the support of Bulgaria's ethnic Turkish DPS over the methods used to run it. Photo by BGNES

The ruling center-right Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria, GERB, party does not need or want the support of the opposition ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms, DPS.

The declaration was made Monday by GERB leader and Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, speaking for the media, saying his party did not want such support over the methods used to run DPS.

Borisov explained GERB wants the support of all Muslims in the country because the cabinet has done a lot for areas populated with ethnic minorities.

When asked to comment on the fact DPS failed to register their own candidates for president and vice president with the Central Electoral Commission, CEC, by the Saturday deadline, the PM replied: "What kind of a party is one which first demands snap elections, insisting they can rule the country and then fails to nominate presidential office candidates? Even parties that according to polls have just 2%-3% support are running in order to demonstrate their identity."

It remains unclear if the Movement will endorse any other candidate of another political formation and/or if they will do it during the first round or will wait for a second one.

"My only appeal, even though I never interfere with the work of other political formations, is to parties which want the support of DPS to publically announce it. And for DPS to announce who they will endorse – it is only fair to the voters," Borisov further said.

At the beginning of September, DPS leader, Ahmed Dogan, in a rare move, commented that he expected from GERB at the upcoming elections an avalanche of manipulations, forgeries, and police brutality.

A total of 18 couples of candidates for president and vice president have sought registration for the Bulgarian presidential elections, the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) announced Saturday night as the registration deadline expired.

The 18 candidate couples represent 11 political parties, one political coalition, and 6 initiative committees.