site.btaYes, Bulgaria Co-Leaders Affirm Unity in CC-DB Coalition before Key Meeting

The co-leaders of Yes, Bulgaria, Ivaylo Mirchev and Bozhidar Bozhanov, reaffirmed support for preserving a united parliamentary group within the coalition Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) ahead of a key meeting of the parliamentary group on Wednesday, stressing that unity is essential to provide strong pro-European and anti-corruption opposition.

"We are entering this meeting with a clear mandate from our party bodies – a united parliamentary group of Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria. It is extremely important to remain united and stay together, because we must stand against this concentration of power by Progressive Bulgaria," Mirchev said.

According to him, unity is also important in view of the upcoming presidential elections. He said the coalition must remain united in order to nominate a strong presidential candidate.

"The tension is not coming from us," CC-DB co-Floor Leader Nadejda Iordanova commented on her way into the meeting.

On April 24, the National Council of Yes, Bulgaria adopted a decision tasking the party with proposing to Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria and Continue the Change a draft coalition agreement for discussion and adoption, as the coalition still does not have one.

"We must remain united, including in Parliament, because with the current concentration of power, there needs to be a very strong pro-European and anti-corruption opposition," Bozhanov said when asked whether two separate parliamentary groups could be formed – one for Yes, Bulgaria and one for Continue the Change.

Bozhanov made the comment at the Palace of Justice in Sofia, where he attended a hearing in a case in which he is charged with misconduct in office related to a public procurement procedure.

"We in Yes, Bulgaria agree with what Atanas Atanassov wrote – that we need a course toward greater unity in order to convince voters that we are their instrument. We continue to support this position together with Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria," Bozhanov said.

He added that disagreements have always existed and always will, but there are no dividing lines between Continue the Change and Yes, Bulgaria.

Commenting on the issue of which electoral district Continue the Change leader Assen Vassilev would enter Parliament from, Bozhanov described it as "a storm in a teacup" and said there had been no such dispute at leadership level.

"Our view is that we should remain one parliamentary group, and we have already taken documentary steps in that direction. We are corresponding with Continue the Change," Bozhanov added.