GERB-UDF’s Prime Minister-Designate Daniel Mitov Returned Second Mandate

Bulgaria's President Rumen Radev handed over the second mandate to form a government to GERB-UDF on August 20. GERB-UDF's Prime Minister-designate Daniel Mitov handed back the mandate.

GERB-UDF defined the situation as absurd and pointed out that the country needs stable governance, but without normal talks in the National Assembly with GERB-UDF there can be no government. However, GERB-UDF does not expect to be invited for talks.

Before returning the second mandate, GERB-UDF presented their draft cabinet. Some of the nominations were ministers in the previous GERB governments.

According to Tomislav Donchev,fromer Deputy PM, Bulgaria has three options for the future, and all three are bad. These are forming a government with a third mandate, holding 2-in-1 elections or parliamentary and presidential elections in two consecutive weeks.

Although they categorically stated that they would return the mandate, GERB-UDF decided to present their cabinet with Daniel Mitov as nomination for PM. They also reminded that they were the first to declare themselves as opposition.

Self-proclaimed alternative parties refuse to take responsibility and make decisions, we witnessed a week-long circus, which took place with the absence of a prime minister, nominations for ministers, withdrawn nominations, last-minute statement. It became clear that no one wants to be responsible, said Desislava Atanasova, chair of GERB-UDF parliamentary group.

Only GERB realises that it is important to have a government, Atanasova added. She described the current situation as pathetic.

The first and second biggest parties in Parliament do not want to rule, and the fifth and sixth want to get a mandate and form a government. The agreements in the...