Prime Minister-designate Rosen Zhelyazkov has confirmed that the names for a potential cabinet composed of GERB, There Is Such a People (TISP), and the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) have already been decided. However, he emphasized that the final decision on presenting a draft cabinet to President Rumen Radev will depend on securing the support of deputies close to Ahmed Dogan.

Zhelyazkov made the statement ahead of a crucial meeting in the Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee, where lawmakers are debating amendments to the Judiciary Act. These amendments are connected to the upcoming election of a new Prosecutor General, scheduled for January 16. Despite his comment that “nothing is agreed until everything is agreed,” Zhelyazkov indicated that while the cabinet members have been confirmed, finalizing the support needed for a stable majority remains critical. He underscored that no ministers from the DPS-Dogan faction have been included in the current draft, but their backing is necessary to ensure the government's stability.

The potential coalition's agreement is in place, but it hinges on gaining sufficient support in parliament. Zhelyazkov added that if the majority is secured, they would present a list of cabinet members to the President. In response to specific questions, representatives from BSP and TISP, who are not part of the negotiation team, refrained from commenting. Meanwhile, the DPS-Dogan group did not provide a clear stance on whether they would set conditions for their support.

While GERB and BSP work on securing a majority, the "Revival" party made it clear they would not back this government and would only support a government formed with their mandate. Additionally, MECH reiterated its opposition to the proposed cabinet, and DPS-Peevski restated their leader's position.

As the political discussions unfold, the future structure of the government seems set, with an anticipated composition of 11 ministers from GERB, 4 from BSP, and 4 from TISP. Three deputy prime ministers are also planned, representing each of the parties in the coalition.

Zhelyazkov, when questioned about the potential for a minority cabinet, indicated that this option had not yet been explored. He reiterated that the ongoing negotiations with DPS-Dogan remain key to forming a stable government, but no final decisions have been made yet. Other political factions, such as "Democratic Bulgaria," have distanced themselves from any talks, while Revival and DPS-Peevski have firmly rejected the current coalition formula. The path forward for Zhelyazkov's government hinges on these critical negotiations.

Sources:

• Bulgarian National Radio (BNR)
• Bulgarian National Television (BNT)