site.btaContinue the Change See No Majority for True Reformist, Anti-Corruption and Pro-European Cabinet within 50th National Assembly

Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) can attempt to receive and fulfill the third government-forming mandate only if it is established that there is readiness to form a broad programmatic majority around a package of anti-corruption reforms aimed at eliminating the "Peevski model" (named after one of the two chairpersons of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms Delyan Peevski), completing judicial reform and stabilizing the parliamentary republic, said Yes, Bulgaria's press centre after a meeting of the political formation's National Council on Monday. The statement was prompted by an idea of Yes, Bulgaria's partner in Democratic Bulgaria (DB) - Democrats for Strong Bulgaria (DSB), for a "technical cabinet with the third mandate if handed to CC-DB".

Yes, Bulgaria member Bozhidar Bozhanov said Monday he understands Continue the Change's (CC) concerns about the Democrats for Strong Bulgaria (DSB) proposal to form a government established with the third mandate in the form of a "technical cabinet". "It does indeed seem unlikely, given the claims of the other parties, that such a majority would be possible," he told journalists. 

Continue the Change (CC) adopted a position during a forum here on Monday, which states that the party does not see conditions for the formation of a pro-European, anti-corruption government within the current Parliament and is ready to be a constructive opposition, said CC's press centre, recalling the July 7 decisions of its National Council and the discussed results of the last parliamentary elections. The members of the National Council approved the party's development strategy for 2024 and 2025, presented by CC's co-chairs Kiril Petkov and Assen Vassilev. The course for consolidation and upgrading of the coalition with Democratic Bulgaria (DB) was also approved, CC said.

"If there is a chance of forming an anti-Peevski cabinet, we are duty bound to our voters to do it," outgoing Yes, Bulgaria Chairman Hristo Ivanov said on bTV Sunday evening.

"We do not see conditions in the 50th National Assembly for the formation of a pro-European, anti-corruption cabinet, and we confirm that we will be a constructive opposition," the National Council of the Continue the Change (CC) party said.

Democrats for Strong Bulgaria (DSB), which is part of the Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) coalition said they are proposing to their partners from CC-DB to to discuss and adopt a mechanism for getting out of the current political crisis. "We believe that such an option is to ask for the third [government forming] mandate, which would be considered a "national" mandate, DSB said here on Sunday. The position is part of DSB's resolution, whose Executive Council met on Saturday.

Denkov urged to wait and see who will be handed the second exploratory government-forming mandate. "Let's see when it is handed over, then we will decide," he said.

"Let's be clear, CC- DB cannot be part of these two majorities because we are an anti-corruption and a pro-European coalition. Our voters can be absolutely calm about that," Petkov added.