The first of a series of meetings with parliamentary parties represented by President Rumen Radev began before the first investigative mandate to form a government was handed over. The first consultations are with representatives of "We Continue the Change". The President addressed them with the words.

"I am convinced that you realize what a huge responsibility lies on you ... the trust of Bulgarian citizens is not given for free and must be maintained constantly. You know that the two caretaker governments that I appointed under the Bulgarian Constitution have stabilized the country. They have clearly shown that there can be synergies between people with different political views, they have created a good basis for effective governance focused on people's problems. You know this very well and you know that effective governance in the form of a coalition can only exist if there is mutual respect between the partners. The time of the sole prime minister is over and the hope for its restoration was categorically rejected by the Bulgarian citizens during the elections. The Presidential Institution is open to dialogue and cooperation with future governments within its competences and powers. It is important for Bulgarian citizens to know your priorities and your readiness to form an effective governing coalition. I will be grateful to you for setting out your views on the enlargement of the European Union, the assertion of the rights of Bulgarian citizens, our identity, history and culture."

For his part, co-chair of WCC and eventual future prime minister Kiril Petkov congratulated the president on his election victory and requested a full term for the future cabinet:

"What happened on election night, both with us and with you, carries a huge responsibility. We are aware that Bulgaria already has an urgent need to have a regular government that fully protects the Bulgarian interest and to solve problems that can be only solved by a government with a full mandate and a functioning parliament. I want to assure you that we have taken this responsibility to heart. In the near future we hope to present a cabinet project based on a coalition of four parties and coalitions. What has happened in recent days has been done for the first time - we broadcast all the negotiations between the four parties live online and outlined 18 working groups, each outlining between 5 and 10 pages of measures to be taken urgently and in quick order. Based on this discussion, we managed to make a coalition document, which was completed at midnight and sent to all our coalition future partners ... With respect to the voters of each party, we chose the principle of proportionality - each of the parties in this coalition to be close to their votes represented in this coalition. It is important for us that everyone in the coalition feels a full partner in our common work for Bulgaria. The talks have so far been conducted in an absolutely constructive tone, both at the level of leadership talks, which are ongoing, and at the level of expertise. The good news is that in relation to the policies of many of these groups, we had over 90% common policies. We all realized that whether a person has a left-wing, right-wing ideology or is at the center, as we are, the problems are so great and painful that in reality this orientation would be significant in a later moment. Because regardless of whether you are left, center or right, Bulgaria needs highways, it needs safe dams, it needs good incomes, it needs to get Bulgarians back from abroad."

The currently discussed formula for the distribution of seats in the future coalition government determines 10 seats for "We continue the change", four for BSP and "There Is Such a People" and three for "Democratic Bulgaria".

The head of state will hold consecutive talks with the representatives of "We Continue the Change", GERB-SDS, DPS and BSP, and tomorrow - with "There Is Such a People", "Democratic Bulgaria" and the "Vazrazhdane" party.

Four deputy prime ministers and two new ministries

After the consultations with the President, Kiril Petkov expressed hope to hear from future coalition partners their views on the distribution of ministries:

"We have very good communication and good discipline. At the moment we expect to have four deputy prime ministers and two new ministries, but I want to give the partners freedom for internal party discussion, "said Petkov, who promised details of a possible future cabinet in about 24 hours.

/BNR

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