President of Bulgaria Rumen Radev handed over the second exploratory mandate to the representative of “We Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria” Academician Nikolay Denkov. The head of state addressed Petkov with the words:
“Dear Mr. Petkov, as co-chairman of the parliamentary group of “We Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria”, please announce your decision as a candidate for Prime Minister according to Article 49 of the Constitution.”
For his part, Petkov replied:
“Dear Mr. President, Dear Madam Vice President, I am carrying the folder with the decision of our parliamentary group in my hand. To my great regret, the first term was a failure because colleagues from GERB-SDS did not keep their agreement. 9 months ago they said that we will have a government for 18 months with a rotation of prime ministers. They reneged on that arrangement. In the second term, which I currently hold, in the folder, we propose Academician Denkov again, with the clear awareness, however, that unfortunately we gave a second chance to correct their mistake by GERB-SDS and not go to a series of elections. Which, unfortunately, we think are coming. But the colleagues from GERB-SDS in the second term as well, despite the gesture, did not appreciate it, refused, and at this moment I give it simply formally, I hand over the folder, as it is according to the Constitution, with the clear awareness that it will be returned.”
After that, the head of state turned to Academician Denkov:
“Thank you, Mr. Denkov. You and your entire political formation, Bulgaria, made an effort until the last moment to have a regular government, including yesterday. And although, indeed, you have already announced that you will return the mandate, indeed, it is such a dynamic situation that every decision is used to be the penultimate one. Therefore, nevertheless, I hand you the mandate and invite you to announce your final decision on the fate of this second term. You are welcome.”
At his words, the resigned Prime Minister declared:
“I will return the mandate unfulfilled, as there is no longer any support in the current National Assembly even for the management program that we adopted with GERB-SDS 9 months ago.”
There is also no support for the reforms that were the basis for the formation of this administration.
“The GERB-DPS coalition actually wants elections and this is the result of this desire of theirs. The negotiations were conducted pro forma with the clear awareness that the country should be sent to elections.”
We remind you that yesterday GERB-SDS declared that they will not participate in attempts for a government with the second and third terms. And this morning “We Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria” announced that they will return the folder empty.
In the event that the request is fulfilled, Radev has a seven-day deadline to deliver the third exploratory mandate to form a cabinet. This can generally be done tomorrow, but also on the last day of the term. In such a scenario, the folder is given to the chairman of a parliamentary group, with which he is tasked to nominate a candidate for prime minister. If this mandate also fails, there is no deadline for its implementation, then we move on to the next constitutional step.
According to the new rules, the head of state must name one of six representatives of institutions in our country as acting prime minister. Among them are the Speaker of the National Assembly Rosen Zhelyazkov, the Governor of the BNB Dimitar Radev or his deputy, the Chairman of the Audit Chamber Dimitar Glavchev or his deputy, the Ombudsman Diana Kovacheva or her deputy. In this case, the choice is even more limited, since Kovacheva was elected as a judge in the court in Strasbourg, and her deputy, Elena Markova, resigned.
