site.btaGERB Leader Calls No-Confidence Votes “Waste of Time”

The incumbents can bear as many no-confidence votes as the opposition wants to have, but the National Assembly needs to work, GERB party leader Boyko Borissov told journalists in the corridors of the Assembly on Wednesday. The head of the main party in the government coalition was approached for comment on a new motion of no confidence in Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov’s government submitted by the Vazrazhdane parliamentary group and also signed by the MPs of Velichie and MECh.

Borissov commented that Velichie were “installed” in the National Assembly precisely in order to provide signatures for no-confidence motions.

He noted that there are a few more bills left to pass under the Recovery and Resilience Plan, and the National Assembly can work into August, if necessary. “I won’t forgive them for the no-confidence motions, not because this is a big deal but because they are wasting Parliament’s time,” Borissov said. He pointed to planned legislation against money laundering and parliamentary work necessary to get Bulgaria off the "grey list" of the Financial Action Task Force as a condition to receive the second and the third payments under the Recovery and Resilience Plan.

Discussing ongoing developments in the Continue the Change party triggered by a corruption investigation, Borissov said the developments he cares about are those in his own party, GERB.

He was adamant that he will keep his promise to take Bulgaria into the euro area despite domestic scandals.

Asked whether the incumbents will count on the support of Continue the Change or the Movement for Rights and Freedoms -New Beginning during the no-confidence vote, Borissov said: “By their deeds we will know them.”