The leadership of the European People's Party in Brussels has voiced approval of the pre-election coalition agreement, which Bulgaria's two biggest right-wing parties recently signed.
The statement was made by "Konrad Adenauer" Foundation, organizer of the recent meeting of Bulgaria's right-wing parties at the Italian town of Cadenabbia. The Foundation stressed that the unity between the United Democratic Forces (UDF) and Democrats for Strong Bulgaria (DSB) paves the way for a center-right ruling majority and governing coalition after the general elections this summer.
Coalition talks however remained off the agenda of Cadenabbia meeting and will apparently be held in Sofia. UDF and DSB face huge challenges as they have to overcome differences over which smaller parties they will welcome into the pre-election coalition, as well as a history of bad blood between their leaders.
UDF strongly oppose the inclusion of the party of Yane Yanev "Order, Law, Justice", who recently stirred up tensions with claims about radical Islamism promotion. Nor do they want the centrist mavericks from Bulgarian New Democracy, who left the party of former tsar Simeon Saxe-Coburg. To top it all of, many from the rank and file despise Ivan Kostov, DSB leader and former PM.
Meanwhile, in Sofia, the straight-talking mayor Boyko Borisov surprisingly forecast that his party would win a landslide victory and form coalition on its own with him as prime minister.