Boyko Borissov, leader of GERB, declined to reveal his party’s plans for resolving Bulgaria’s political crisis, responding to reporters in the National Assembly with a firm, “I won’t tell you.” Borissov expressed dissatisfaction with former Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov, criticizing his interview earlier in the day on Nova TV. Borissov accused Denkov of mishandling Bulgaria’s efforts to join the Schengen Area but commended the work of Mariya Gabriel and Kalin Stoyanov during their respective terms as Foreign and Interior Ministers. Stoyanov, now an MP from Delyan Peevski’s DPS faction (DPS-New Beginning), received particular praise.

The GERB leader appeared offended by Denkov’s remarks, which he claimed further proved the difficulty of cooperating with "We Continue the Change" (WCC). Borissov summarized his frustration by stating, “They do not take into account anything that we have done together.” Despite his earlier proposal of a coalition formula including GERB, "We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria" (WCC-DB), the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), and "There Is Such a People" (TISP), he indicated that Denkov’s recent comments made such cooperation unlikely. “This WAS the winning formula I proposed,” Borissov clarified, adding, “As of today... I do not see such a chance.”

When questioned about GERB supporting Petar Kanev of the BSP for the position of Speaker of the National Assembly, Borissov dismissed the idea, saying no discussions had taken place on the matter. He referenced recent remarks by BSP's Borislav Gutsanov, who had suggested BSP would proceed without GERB’s support. “I am sorry, I have a good attitude towards Kanev,” Borissov added, but reinforced the improbability of collaboration under the current circumstances.

Borissov reiterated his earlier decision to not pursue the prime ministership if GERB receives the first exploratory mandate to form a government. Despite this, he expressed skepticism about constructive dialogue with WCC-DB, referencing Denkov’s comments as evidence of an impasse. “I listened to what Denkov was saying – nothing constructive,” he said. Pressed on GERB’s future plans, Borissov said the party would determine its course internally but refused to provide details, abruptly concluding, “I will not tell you,” before leaving the briefing.

Meanwhile, he Democratic Bulgaria (DB) faction , part of WCC-DB, has suggested a potential resolution to the ongoing stalemate over electing a Speaker of the National Assembly. This proposal was announced during a parliamentary statement earlier today.

Background:

The political deadlock comes against the backdrop of Bulgaria’s prolonged instability, marked by multiple inconclusive elections and fragile coalitions. GERB, a dominant force in Bulgarian politics for over a decade, has faced difficulties securing consensus in a deeply divided parliament. Attempts to form a stable coalition have been further complicated by mistrust between GERB and other major parties, including WCC-DB.

Sources:

• Nova TV
• Club Z
• Bulgarian National Television