New Elections Loom? ‘Revival’ and ‘Greatness’ Prepare for Battle as Tensions Boil in Parliament

The leaders of Bulgarian opposition parties "Revival" and "Greatness" - Kostadin Kostadinov and Ivelin Mihaylov - both expressed expectations for new early elections, echoing GERB leader Boyko Borissov’s recent comment that it may be time for political forces to “recount” each other.

Despite their similar views on the likelihood of elections, the two party leaders ruled out any mutual support. Kostadinov firmly dismissed any idea of backing a no-confidence vote in coordination with "Greatness." “New elections - great,” he said. “I’ll throw in the towel and go to elections.” When asked directly whether his group could count on "Greatness" for support in such a motion, he replied simply, “No, we can’t count on them.”

From his side, Mihaylov was equally blunt. He rejected any collaboration with "Revival" and instead accused them of moving closer to GERB and DPS. According to Mihaylov, the two parties have long shown signs of alignment, which is now becoming more visible. “We see the synchrony between GERB and 'Revival'. It’s been ongoing, and it’s now clearer than ever. In the next cabinet, I expect 'Revival' to be the third partner alongside GERB and DPS,” he said.

He went further, suggesting that "Revival" had undergone a transformation and was now aligning itself with the "Euro-Atlantic" political line, represented by Borissov and Delyan Peevski. “They seem to have experienced a catharsis, evolved into a European party, and are now part of the Euro-Atlantic bloc.”

Mihaylov was categorical in his belief that new elections are inevitable. “I’m 100% sure we’re heading there,” he said. In his view, the tone in Parliament has already shifted into campaign mode. “The lies and smear tactics from the last assembly have returned. I believe that in one of the upcoming votes - whether it’s by ‘MECH’ or ‘Da, Bulgaria’ or ‘We Continue the Change’ - the government will collapse,” he predicted, referring also to Borissov’s own hint that he is ready for a “recount.”

Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov took a different stance, stating that there is currently no political basis for discussing early elections. According to him, the absence of a credible alternative means talk of elections is premature.

Zhelyazkov made the remarks during a visit to the Krumovo Air Base, where he observed the armed forces' readiness to assist with fires and other disaster scenarios. Responding to questions about whether the arrest of Varna’s mayor, Blagomir Kotsev, might trigger early elections, Zhelyazkov dismissed any direct political connection.

He used the opportunity to emphasize the need for strong coordination between the military, regional authorities, firefighters, and police in responding to wildfires and other crises. The Prime Minister highlighted that most fire incidents - around 95% - are caused by human actions. He noted the massive costs of managing such disasters, pointing out that while hundreds of millions are spent, the damage to property and nature is often beyond calculation.

Zhelyazkov also provided updates on disaster response capabilities. He said that in the past year alone, the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Interior have doubled the number of firefighting aircraft and trained teams. He added that the Bulgarian Air Force has significantly expanded its capacity and plans are underway to include additional helicopters next year.

The Prime Minister also addressed the BG-Alert early warning system, noting that 67 municipalities still need to complete training. He called on their mayors to act promptly and hinted that other forms of motivation would be considered if they fail to comply.