site.btaGERB Leader Borissov Calls for 100-Day Grace Period for New Government, Says Party Training New Generation of Leaders

GERB leader Boyko Borissov said here on Saturday that political parties should restore the tradition of granting a newly formed government a 100-day grace period.

"As a systemic party, we believe the good practice of a 100-day period of tolerance should return. It existed in the past, especially when new political formations entered Parliament. Whether these formations are truly new is debatable, but while they are organizing themselves, getting to know each other and forming parliamentary groups, nothing prevents us from giving them this 100-day grace period," Borisov told reporters in Shumen.

He added that some parties had rushed to criticize the government, while GERB had deliberately refrained from commenting.

"We want to observe this period of tolerance, but other parties comment on them every day. Because we are not commenting, people start suspecting that we are engaged in some kind of political game. There is no such game," Borissov said.

The GERB leader was in Shumen to participate in a training programme for new party members and future leaders. He said the party had spent recent months focusing on developing new cadres. 

"What GERB has been doing in recent months is training new people, not only young people but anyone interested, so there is no age limit. We have lecturers, including myself. The idea is to train future government officials whom we can present to the public at the next elections, so voters know who could become ministers," Borissov said.

He expressed satisfaction with previous training sessions held around the country and noted growing interest from local party structures. 

"Some of these people will become part of what we might call a shadow government, while others will prepare to become municipal councillors, mayors or deputy mayors. In this way we will rejuvenate GERB from within," he said, adding that long-serving party members understood the need for renewal. 

"The goal is to identify talented people from all regional centres and form a national team that we can present to voters. If they like what they see, they can vote for us. That is how systemic parties operate," Borissov said.

Commenting on concerns about Bulgaria's budget deficit, Borissov said GERB had previously implemented difficult fiscal measures when it governed alone.

"When GERB had the ability to govern independently, we introduced all necessary restrictions during both of our terms in power and bore the full public pressure for freezing, reducing or refusing spending increases until we balanced the deficit," he said.

Recalling the beginning of his first term as prime minister in 2009, Borisov said former finance minister Plamen Oresharski had informed him that the budget gap amounted to between BGN 800 million and BGN 900 million. 

"I shook his hand and said: thank you, now let's go and fill this hole," Borisov said.

Borisov also commented on Bulgaria's natural gas agreement with Turkish energy company BOTAS.

"My opinion remains that this is the most failed deal that has happened to Bulgaria. I have said that before," he said.

According to Borisov, the agreement has little chance of functioning successfully in its current form.