site.btaBSP Leader Zafirov: If We Receive Third Cabinet-Forming Mandate, We Will Discuss It and Decide Whether to Return It

Speaking on bTV on Friday, outgoing Deputy Prime Minister and Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) leader Atanas Zafirov said that if they receive the third government-forming mandate, they will discuss it and decide whether to return it. 

Under the Constitution, the third exploratory mandate goes to a parliamentary group chosen by the President after the largest and second-largest groups have failed to form a government. If a government is not formed under the third mandate, the country proceeds to snap parliamentary elections.
 
"The sooner we hold elections, the better. As a political force, we are among those who have been most affected by paper ballot voting. There were sufficient grounds to question the machines. The idea of introducing scanning devices at elections is a good one," he said.

"When people see the bills and the level of remuneration, they will understand that the [Cabinet's] resignation is not the best thing that could have happened in Bulgaria. Those who demanded this change must now be ready to bear the consequences," Zafirov added.

As to the resignation of the BSP’s Executive Bureau, Zafirov said he fully supports all the policies implemented by the party while in government. "My colleagues took responsibility for failing to convince our partners that the administration should continue," he said. He added that his own resignation had been discussed prior to the bureau stepping down, but it was ultimately decided that he would remain.

Zafirov argued that had the government been able to function normally for a longer period, the positive effects of the adopted budget would have been felt quickly. "We received support from the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) – New Beginning in the social sector," he noted.

"We are not ashamed of anything we did while in this government," Zafirov said, identifying as a mistake the lack of sufficient communication within the party.

Asked when he learned about the Cabinet’s resignation, the outgoing Deputy Prime Minister said it was about an hour before the announcement was made. "We argued that it was not the right moment to resign," he added.