site.btaBSP Leader: Even If There Is Someone from BSP in Caretaker Cabinet, They Will Serve in Personal Capacity

Even if there is someone from the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) in the caretaker cabinet, they will serve in a personal capacity, BSP Chair Krum Zarkov said on bTV in response to a question whether members of the party would be included in the caretaker government.

"I am not aware of anything like that," Zarkov added, noting that he is awaiting the announcement of the cabinet composition on Wednesday with interest.

"Political forces have a major role in the caretaker cabinet’s core mission of ensuring fair elections. We must not forget that while the cabinet has its own responsibilities, the main responsibility lies with those participating in the elections," Zarkov said.

According to him, President Iliana Iotova made an adequate choice in nominating Andrey Gurov as caretaker prime minister.

"With the choice of Andrey Gurov, she positioned herself very clearly along the main dividing line in Bulgarian society – for or against a model embodied by a dominance that controlled the parliamentary majority over the past year, and Gurov was not elected by that dominance. Practically, Iotova had no other option," the BSP leader said.

Asked whether there is a place in the party for those who allowed a coalition with GERB and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) - New Beginning, Zarkov said that "there is a place in the party for every socialist, but not in the leadership bodies or at the top of candidate lists for MPs".

Commenting on whether BSP would support a presidential veto on amendments to the Election Code, Zarkov noted that last time ten MPs from BSP’s parliamentary group backed the changes. "I hope they will be far fewer this time," he said.

"GERB, There Is Such a People and Vazrazhdane, which support the law, are looking for six votes. I hope they will not find them among us, but I cannot guarantee that," Zarkov added.