site.btaYes, Bulgaria Co-Chair Mirchev: If Any Change in This Country Is to Happen, It Will Occur When We Secure Absolute Majority

Ivaylo Mirchev, co-chair of Yes, Bulgaria, one of the partners in the Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) coalition, has said that if any change in this country is to happen, it will only occur when they secure an absolute majority. "Anything short of 121 MPs implies compromises and assemblages [a term used with a negative connotation to refer to the formation of governments by politically incompatible entities], which we do not want. If there is public will, a standalone majority is achievable. We must turn to the people to seek this support," he said in an interview on Nova News, as quoted by the Yes, Bulgaria's press centre on Saturday.

Mirchev said he did not see an option for joint governance with the current parliamentary parties after elections, especially if GERB leader Boyko Borissov remained at the head of the party. "As long as Borissov leads GERB, there will be no talk of a governing majority or cooperation - there simply will not be," Mirchev said. "And this time we will go all the way. This vicious model that has captured the State must be brought to an end," he added.

Mirchev recalled CC-DB’s call for citizens to remain ready to protest, noting that they would be called on to protest whenever there was a specific problem. The Yes, Bulgaria co-chair said that several such issues were expected to emerge in the coming months.

He said the average cost of organizing each of the protests so far was about BGN 35,000, covered by Yes, Bulgaria and Continue the Change using donated funds and organized by teams from both parties.