site.btaOpposition Cannot Topple Government, Says Deputy PM and BSP Leader Zafirov

Deputy Prime Minister and BSP leader Atanas Zafirov told the Bulgarian National Television on Monday that judging by the condition of the opposition and its inability to present any meaningful alternative, he does not think this opposition can bring down the Bulgarian government.

“When you point out weaknesses and seek change, you must offer an alternative. What exactly is the alternative? The upcoming no-confidence vote comes from Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB). They were among the loudest critics, but later it turned out they cooperate well with the People’s Republic of China on various occasions. I have even seen some of them at receptions at the Chinese Embassy in honour of the Chinese army - the same people now demanding my resignation. That shows double standards and hypocrisy. It is the same with the no-confidence vote: on the one hand they say they want nothing to do with populist and anti-European parties, yet now they want to unite to topple the government. Fine – but what alternative will they propose? With Vazrazhdane, or do we head to elections?” Zafirov asked.

“If we go to elections, let them say so – yes, two months before the introduction of the euro, the most important political task Bulgaria has faced in years, we are throwing the country into limbo. That cannot happen,” he stated.

On the beating of Nikolay Kozhukharov, director of the Regional Interior Ministry Directorate in Ruse, Zafirov said Bulgarian society has long lived in insecurity and in the sense that anything is permitted – a result of the prolonged political crisis of recent years.

“This sector cannot be fixed in a day or two; it is a heavy and difficult one,” he said, pointing to increased pay in the security sector as one of the solutions. “I am satisfied with the work of [Interior] Minister [Daniel] Mitov and also of Deputy Minister Filip Popov,” Zafirov added.

He noted that the President is currently acting as a corrective to the government, “sometimes a bit more forcefully than the institutional framework allows.”

“With great confidence I can say – the next president will be from the left, supported by a broad circle of Bulgarian citizens. Backing Iliana Iotova is one possible option. BSP is a party with collective bodies, we have restored the collective spirit and decision-making, and these things will be decided together,” Zafirov said.

“The state will not go bankrupt – on the contrary, I assure you that the next budget will have an even stronger social component, as we pledged when forming the government. This will not be achieved through new loans or borrowing, but by improving revenue collection, reducing the grey economy, and encouraging economic activity,” the Deputy Prime Minister stressed.