Former Prime Minister and leader of the center-right Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria party, GERB, Boyko Borisov, apologized to foreign diplomats for the behavior of nationalist leader, Volen Siderov.

Borisov met Monday with 22 ambassadors from the European Union, the US, and Turkey.

"As a Bulgarian, I want to apologize for being in the same room with people who insulted you, and for having some Members of the new Parliament not standing up when the EU anthem was performed," he told the diplomats.

Last Tuesday, during the opening ceremony for the 42nd General Assembly, Siderov delivered a speech that stunned many with its tone and threats. Among other things, he brazenly turned towards foreign diplomats in attendance and explained to them that half million Bulgarians lived with EUR 73 a month.

"Don't come here well fed and satisfied and dictate from Brussels how to make democracy in our country. Come here, down to earth, down to the people and see how they live," said Siderov.

On Monday, Borisov thanked the foreign diplomats for their support during his term in office.

He explained to them that his party won the elections with a significant margin, but it ended not being enough for forming a government, and pledged to not ever and on any occasion interact with Siderov's far-right nationalist Ataka party.

Regarding the Socialists' "Plan Oresharski" for ruling the country in the next four years, Borisov shared he was glad it adhered strictly to GERB's program such as keeping the flat tax, not building a second Nuclear Power Plant in the Danube town of Belene, and upping social assistance for mothers of small children and the most disadvantaged.

On their idea to alleviate the full smoking ban, he stressed that smoking and healthcare, on which BSP vowed to work, never go hand in hand.

Former Foreign Affairs Minister, Nikolay Mladenov, who part in the talks as well, explained GERB invited the diplomats as they wanted to continue working with them for the well-being of Bulgaria.

Former Finance Minister, Plamen Oresharski, is the nomination for Prime Minister of the Bulgarian Socialist Party, BSP.