The parties constituting the Reformist Bloc (RB), which is one of the junior partners in Bulgaria's coalition government, continue to be divided over their eventual merger into one formation and the election of a common leader.

At present, the politicians are committed to carrying out the forthcoming reforms through their representatives in the executive and have ignored their internal problems, electronic daily Dnevnik reports.

Thus the congress, which was scheduled to take place at the end of January or the beginning of February, is being postponed.

In his speech at the opening of the new parliamentary season, the leader of Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria (DSB) Radan Kanev said that reforms had to be initiated immediately, otherwise the likelihood of early elections was high.

This is the reason behind DSB making concessions in its desire for the holding of a unity congress.

There are still some aspirations in DSB that the forum, at which a leader of RB will be elected, can take place in the summer.

Kanev, who is the chairman of RB's parliamentary group, is the favourite for the position.

The other two main parties constituting the RB, Bulgaria for Citizens Movement (DBG) and the Union of Democratic Forces (SDS) are against the holding of a congress before the local elections in the autumn.

According to their respective leaders, Meglena Kuneva and Bozhidar Lukarski such a congress will create an excessive tension in the parties' structures.

The first attempt of gathering in a common forum in September 2014 failed when Kuneva and Lukarski boycotted the event.

There were further talks of a congress in November 2014, but again Kuneva and Lukarski prevailed and postponed it.