Political Ultimatums and Coalition Talks Shape Bulgaria's Eurozone Path

Boyko Borissov, leader of GERB, expressed his strong commitment to Bulgaria’s path toward the eurozone during a conversation with journalists in parliament. He stated that he is willing to accept support from various political groups, including the WCC-DB, DPS-"New Beginning," and Dogan's DPS, as long as it aids the country’s goal of becoming part of the eurozone. He remarked that he would allow these parties to "climb on his back" for now, but added that once Bulgaria enters the eurozone, the reaction of both himself and his party would be clear.

Borissov also addressed what he called “manipulative” talk regarding the stability of the current parliamentary majority, particularly in light of recent decisions made by the Constitutional Court and the redistribution of mandates. He criticized how certain discussions, especially those by President Rumen Radev, were presented, leaving the public with an impression that did not reflect the full reality. Borissov further suggested that the tone of ultimatums, particularly from the DPS-New Beginning and the traditional DPS (Dogan), was creating difficulties for the government.

In response, Delyan Peevski, the leader of DPS-New Beginning, advised Borissov to focus on his own party rather than interfering with his. Peevski acknowledged that ultimatums were indeed being issued by Ahmed Dogan, but emphasized that Borissov’s decision to accept or reject these demands was entirely up to him.

Meanwhile, Simeon Dyankov, the newly appointed chairman of the Fiscal Council, shared his vision for Bulgaria's future, particularly its long-standing goal of entering the eurozone. Reflecting on his time as finance minister, Dyankov expressed his belief that Bulgaria still had unfinished business in this regard, as previous attempts to join the eurozone had failed. He emphasized that, under his new role, he and the Fiscal Council would engage in discussions with the European Central Bank and the eurozone commissioner to push forward the country's goal. Dyankov noted that Bulgaria had already met important criteria, such as inflation targets, debt, and budget deficit limits, but emphasized that the country’s fight against corruption remained crucial for successful eurozone entry.

Dyankov also took a moment to thank the WCC-DB party for their support in not backing a vote of no confidence initiated by the "Revival" party, which sought to challenge the government over foreign policy. He also expressed his belief that stable governance was key to Bulgaria’s eurozone aspirations and called for further collaboration with Democratic Bulgaria (DB) to strengthen the ruling majority. He suggested that it might be time to engage in talks with DB, particularly as their political positions aligned closely with "There Is Such a People" (TISP) party.

Dyankov noted that the ongoing support from DPS-New Beginning would play a vital role in ensuring government stability, but expressed uncertainty about the future of this support. He encouraged clarity in the relationship between GERB and DPS-New Beginning, as the future stability of the government depended largely on their cooperation. He added that it might be better for the coalition to acknowledge if it was no longer working before the release of the eurozone convergence report, emphasizing that transparency would ultimately serve the country’s interests.