site.btaAlliance for Rights and Freedoms to Accept Third Cabinet-Forming Mandate

Hayri Sadakov, Floor Leader of the Alliance for Rights and Freedoms (ARF), Thursday told reporters his parliamentary group would accept the third mandate to form a cabinet, while all other aspects would be discussed within the group and the Alliance's structures. Earlier in the day, the President's Press Secretariat said Rumen Radev would mandate ARF to nominate a prime minister-designate on Friday.

Sadakov said the granting of the third exploratory mandate to his group was a sign of appreciation of its consistent efforts within the 51st National Assembly to uphold the principles of democracy, statehood and the institutional unity and strength of the state.

"Given the specifics of the third mandate, a meeting of the parliamentary group and the ARF structures is to be held, at which the matter will be discussed and a decision will be made," Sadakov said.

The first and second mandates were returned promptly earlier this week. The largest parliamentary group, GERB-UDF, returned the first mandate immediately after receiving it on Monday, and the second largest, Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria, returned the second mandate unfulfilled on Wednesday. Under the Constitution, the President then asks a parliamentary group of his choice to name a prime minister-designate. If the third and last cabinet-forming mandate fails as well, the President consults the parliamentary groups, appoints a caretaker government and schedules parliamentary elections within two months.