site.btaContinue the Change Co-chair Petkov: No Place for Us in Peevski-Led Majority

There is no way Continue the Change (CC) can be part of any majority controlled by Delyan Peevski, CC co-chair Kiril Petkov told journalists in Parliament on Thursday.

Petkov responded to a call by BSP – United Left MP Atanas Atanasov for Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) to join the ruling majority, due to their shared goals.

“Our colleagues are absolutely right—this government is now a government of [MRF – New Beginning leader] Delyan Peevski,” Petkov said, commenting on the no-confidence vote and the withdrawal of support from Alliance for Rights and Freedoms (ARF).

Petkov recalled that CC-DB plans to submit its own no-confidence motion once the date for Bulgaria’s entry into the eurozone is announced. That motion will likely include some of the same arguments raised by Morality, Unity, Honour (MECh) in their current no-confidence motion on corruption.

“Until then, we will continue to expose all forms of corruption, and the fig leaf that was ARF is now gone,” Petkov added.

“I heard [GERB leader] Borissov said yesterday that Peevski has no corruption issues and that the two are like brothers working together. At least now the whole Bulgarian public knows—vote for one, you get both,” Petkov said.

He went on to say the current government likely will not fall, not even from their own no-confidence vote, “because Peevski is holding it up.” Still, he added, the theatrics are over. “Everyone now knows—Borissov and Peevski are together. If you want to vote for corruption, vote for them. If you want to vote for the pro-Russian line, vote for Vazrazhdane. If you want a pro-European, anti-corruption option—vote for us,” Petkov said.

Democratic Bulgaria (DB) MP Bozhidar Bozhanov also confirmed the parliamentary group’s position that they will not take part in the vote. “That doesn’t mean we support the government, but we also don’t support this no-confidence motion, which will likely fail and could send the wrong message, putting the eurozone at risk,” Bozhanov said.

Responding to calls for CC-DB to join the governing majority in some form, Bozhanov said, “There’s no way we’re taking ARF’s place while Peevski’s influence is so evident—we’ve said that many times.”