Petkov Government

The leadership of the "We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria" (WCC-DB) coalition, consisting of Kiril Petkov, Asen Vassilev, Hristo Ivanov, and Atanas Atanasov, has formally announced their joint participation in the upcoming early parliamentary elections and the elections for members of the European Parliament on June 9, 2024.

"'Gazprom' is not just a trader or a supplier, it is a geopolitical weapon of Russia, which is in a severe confrontation not only with Ukraine, but also with the EU and NATO, and with the entire international order on which our way of life rests."

"We Continue the Change" and "Democratic Bulgaria" gave a briefing after the meeting between the two formations about the priorities of a possible next administration with the mandate of WCC.

At 5:00 p.m., the procedure for handing over the first mandate to form a new government within the framework of the 47th National Assembly by President Rumen Radev to the largest political group in the parliament - "We Continue the Change" - began.

"Our condition for negotiating with 'We Continue the Change' was that Kiril Petkov should not be a candidate for prime minister. This condition is met. We will talk to WCC about forming a government". This was said by BSP leader Kornelia Ninova after it became clear that WCC was proposing Asen Vassilev for Prime Minister.

Two important political plots await an outcome today - who will be the candidate of "We Continue the Change" for prime minister in the new attempt to form a government and how will Bulgaria react to Moscow's ultimatum to cancel the unprecedented decision to expel 70 Russian diplomats and officials from Bulgaria the embassy.

Less than 24 hours after the expulsion of 70 Russian diplomats, BSP leader Kornelia Ninova announced that the Bulgarian Socialist Party has suspended all negotiations with "We Continue the Change" to form a cabinet.

"President Radev and Vice President Yotova began attacking the government in the first month. I had no explanation for why so quickly the president who created Petkov's party 'We Continue the Change', who launched them into power, attacked them.

"We Continue the Change" (WCC) is ready to take the first term to form a government and try to find 121 independent deputies for the new cabinet.

"Another election will be disastrous and a waste of historic time", Prime Minister Kiril Petkov told reporters in Veliko Tarnovo.