Bulgaria's President Handed Over the Second Mandate to Form a Government: WCC-DB Returned it Unfulfilled

Today, President Rumen Radev presented the second exploratory mandate for forming a government to "We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria" (WCC-DB), the second largest political force in the National Assembly. This move follows the coalition's announcement last week that they lack the necessary support to establish a government and would return the mandate without progress.

The second largest parliamentary group, however, returned the mandate unfulfilled after they requested a three-month delay in their proposed draft declaration for exiting the political crisis and did not find support for it from the other political forces represented in the parliament.

The mandate presentation saw key WCC-DB figures including Kiril Petkov, Nikolai Denkov, Bozhidar Bojanov, Lyudmila Ilieva, Atanas Atanasov, and Nadezhda Yordanova.

The coalition had sought a three-month extension to finalize their proposed declaration aimed at resolving the political crisis, but failed to gain backing from other parliamentary forces.

The proposed declaration supported seven legislative initiatives, including the election of Anti-Corruption Commission members, the adoption of a new Law on the Judiciary, and amendments to laws governing security services.

The text of the proposed declaration declares support for seven legislative initiatives and decisions of the National Assembly, including the election of members of the Anti-Corruption Commission, adoption of a new Law on the Judiciary, amendments to the special laws governing the work of the security services.

"The answer after the talks is that this cannot happen. We will not change our approach, we will maintain these priorities to create as a country a welcoming environment for businesses and investors, so that we increase incomes, reduce inequality, have funds, to ensure better education and health care. In this National Assembly, we expect to get stronger public support so that we can put these topics again and they will be at the center of the discussions in the parliament The fight against corruption is not an end in itself, but a means to achieve success in this direction. The decision is that I am given a mandate as prime minister, but with the task of returning it unfulfilled," he said Nikolai Denkov, WCC-DB.

As per constitutional procedures, following the return of the second exploratory mandate, President Radev will instruct the next parliamentary group to propose a candidate for prime minister.

After the failure of the second attempt to form a government, the Constitution provides for one more - last - opportunity. By next Monday, July 29, or seven days after the return of the second folder, Rumen Radev must assign, of his choice, the third mandate to form a cabinet to one of the remaining four parliamentary groups - "Revival" (Vazrazhdane), Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS), Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) or "There Is Such a People" (TISP).