site.btaContinue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria to Hold Separate Meeting with MECh on Potential No-confidence Vote

Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria (CC–DB) will hold a separate meeting with Morality, Unity, Honor (MECh) on a potential no-confidence vote, Bozhidar Bozhanov, co-chair of Yes, Bulgaria, said in the parliamentary lobby Wednesday. MECh have invited CC–DB, Vazrazhdane, the Alliance for Rights and Freedoms, and Velichie to a joint discussion on the motives for a fifth no-confidence vote against the Rosen Zhelyazkov cabinet later today. According to Radostin Vasilev’s group [leader of MECh], the vote should focus on the internal security sector.

“Since Boyko Borissov allowed himself, in a sense, to speculate that supposedly we would all sit at the same table with pro-Russian parties, no! Our meeting with MECh will be separate and specifically related to their proposal for the vote to focus on the security sector,” Bozhanov said. “And since the security sector worries GERB, who are currently bragging about dismantled contraband factories, this is the question we’re asking: is there a connection between the recently dismantled contraband cigarette factory and the cigarette smuggling ring in Plovdiv a year ago?” he added. “If they’re boasting about their operations in the security sector, why don’t they look at who’s underneath the surface, is it not Peevski [leader of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms - New Beginning]?” Bozhanov added.

According to Democratic Bulgaria, there are arguments that the vote should take place after the parliamentary recess. They said they would not negotiate with Kostadin Kostadinov, leader of Vazrazhdane, on this vote.

According to DB, Boyko Borissov is trying to evade responsibility for the “outrages committed by the Counter-corruption Commission” by claiming GERB has nothing to do with it. “GERB’s responsibility lies in their consistent refusal to distance themselves from Peevski and to adopt our measures that would prevent these repressive institutions from operating this way,” Bozhanov said, referring to the detention of Varna Mayor Blagomir Kotsev earlier this month. He recalled that the draft coalition agreement had included measures to prevent this, but they were rejected and GERB is responsible. “Borissov should not hide from this,” Bozhanov added.

“We heard what Borissov said about prices. Yes, there is a problem. But controlling prices goes through our right-wing package, which includes measures on product charges as the technological cost is currently rising, and also the proposal that stores announce their prices every morning,” Ivaylo Mirchev, co-chair of Yes, Bulgaria added. “What GERB is proposing is turbo-left populism that supports Peevski,” the MP said. “The only idea they’ve come up with at the moment is the establishment of state-run stores for the people, as the leader of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms - New Beginning parliamentary group wants,” Mirchev said. “Borissov has managed to achieve something no one before him has, not even his mentor Todor Zhivkov [General Secretary of the Bulgarian Communist Party], the most left-wing, most communist policies in cooperation with the most turbo-left party in Bulgaria – GERB,” he added.