Bulgaria: Mariya Gabriel and GERB will try and Fulfil the First Mandate by offering an Expert Cabinet

Prime Minister nominee Mariya Gabriel stated in the National Assembly that she will fulfill the first exploratory mandate and return the folder with the structure and composition of the government to the head of state on Monday.

"I will fulfill the mandate and return it to the president. I remain open to talks with everyone, but we are already moving to the next stage - support for a government with the first mandate with clear topics and priorities; an expert government for 1 year. We will now talk about names and composition of the Council of Ministers".

Despite the withdrawal of BSP from GERB-SDS, they cannot count on "Vazrazhdane", since the principled position, repeatedly stated by the leader Kostadin Kostadinov, is that they will not support the first mandate. Therefore, according to Gabriel, it makes no sense and logic to have such conversations with the formation.

When asked by the National Radio whether she would agree to be a candidate for prime minister for the second mandate and whether GERB-SDS would support this option, Gabriel said:

"I stand before you with my name, with my reputation. I think that when I want to stand before you again, saying that I will remain consistent, you yourself will remember what my answer is."

Mariya Gabriel stressed that she does not regret that as a key priority in her government she indicated the request for the release of the chief prosecutor Ivan Geshev and specified:

"Seeing what is happening, I ask myself how important it was to take this step. I said very clearly that we are not talking about a personal change, I very clearly outlined my competencies. There is a Minister of Justice, there is a Supreme Judicial Council, there is a procedure. For me, what became clear is that a government, possibly a government with Prime Minister Mariya Gabriel, will lead the way for comprehensive judicial reform - this is a priority, and as I said then, I confirm, we will also look in the direction of constitutional reform".

When asked if she "sacrificed" her position as European Commissioner, she stated that it was important for her to follow the procedures.

She also commented on yesterday's decision of "We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria", which confirmed their position not to support the first term of GERB and to start their work for the second term, placing Constitutional change and judicial reform at the heart of the talks.

"I don't see the political logic of supporting such a decision (GERB to support the mandate of the WCC-DB)," said Gabriel.

Hristo Ivanov: What was proposed with the first mandate cannot solve the major problems in Bulgaria

"What is proposed with the first mandate cannot solve Bulgaria's major problems". Thus, the co-chairman of "Democratic Bulgaria" Hristo Ivanov explained the reasons for refusing support for a project cabinet with Prime Minister Mariya Gabriel. Among the reasons is that the proposal to release the chief prosecutor Ivan Geshev does not guarantee a deep change in the system, therefore WCC-DB will work for changes in the Constitution:

"Until we solve this problem, the Bulgarian state, institutional and political system, will not be healed and will produce similar defects".

WCC-DB will direct efforts to elect a regular government with the second term:

"The question is not whose mandate is chosen, there is a fetishization of this topic. The question is who can propose a formula focused on real solutions, we will try to do this with the second mandate and we hope for a responsible attitude".

Borissov is still hoping for support from "We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria" for the first term

The leader of GERB, Boyko Borissov, expressed hope that the political forces will show reason and produce a government with the first mandate. This happened in front of journalists on the sidelines of the parliament. According to him, the nominee for Prime Minister, Mariya Gabriel, should continue to look for an intersection between the political forces, regardless of the fact that the Bulgarian Socialist Party and "We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria" have stated that they will not support a government with the first term. Borissov hinted that he expects the new coalition to change its position, due to the fact that earlier in the plenary hall the GERB-SDS parliamentary group complied with the "gentlemen's agreement" and voted for the MP from "We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria" Stoyu Stoev to head the legal committee.

"They have no reason to say that there is a crisis of confidence. We kept our commitment," said Borissov. He also added that, according to him, if a regular government is not formed in the first mandate, it will not happen in the second either.

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