GERB party

Bulgaria will head to its third national election this year, after the Socialists became the third political party to refuse to lead a government following July's inconclusive parliamentary election. According to analysts, the game-changer this time could be a new political force.

Bulgaria's President Rumen Radev arriving in Brussels, June 24, for an EU meeting. Photo: EPA-EFE/JOHANNA GERON / POOL

"I do not pretend to be a prophet, but I still think that there will be a regular government in the next parliament and GERB will not participate in it. And now, because you said that someone insulted political parties, and there was no such thing. Now there will be, I will insult the GERB party and I will say that they are a mafia organisation", said Toshko Yordanov.

Bulgaria will hold its third parliamentary election in just one year as parliament will be dismissed in mid-September and the president must schedule early elections in late October or early November.

At the same time, the country will also hold presidential elections, in which current President Rumen Radev is set to be the absolute favourite.

The formerly ruling GERB party would win if early elections were held now, as support for There Is Such a People (TISP), the largest parliamentary force, slipped by about 5 percentage points in a month, according to an August 13-22 nationally representative survey among 1,055 people aged 18 or over. It was financed and conducted by bTV and Market Links.

GERB could be first political force, caretaker government improves its rating.

Minister of Economy Kiril Petkov stated, in an interview for Nova TV, that he does not have a Canadian passport in his possession, and that he has handed it, and his citizenship certificate over to the Canadian authorizes.

People at an anti-government protest in front of the Council of Ministers in Sofia, July 10, 2020. Photo: EPA-EFE/VASSIL DONEV

The probe comes after the release of video footage dated July 10 2020, acquired from the cameras of the Ministerial Council, which has caused fresh concerns about unsanctioned police brutality during the 2020-2021 protests.

The Bulgarian political world was shocked into action on August 10 when the party that won the country's July 11 elections, There is Such a Nation, withdrew its ministerial nominations, including a large number of young unknowns who were educated abroad, one day before a scheduled parliamentary approval vote.  

A deputy enters the plenary hall before the new parliament's first session in Sofia on July 21, 2021. Photo: EPA-EFE/VASSIL DONEV

"The discussions are ongoing", political newcomer and proposed PM Plamen Nikolov said on Thursday, declining to give more specific information.