Boyko Borissov, the leader of GERB, has strongly denied any responsibility for Bulgaria's current financial situation, blaming the policies of former Finance Minister Asen Vassilev and the We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria (WCC-DB) coalition. Speaking on the sidelines of Parliament, Borissov made it clear that GERB would not be held accountable for the financial chaos that he claimed was caused by the previous government, which he attributed to mismanagement during Vassilev’s tenure. He also emphasized that GERB would not tolerate any attempts to manipulate the budget figures or shift blame to his party.

Borissov criticized Vassilev's approach, particularly the handling of the budget and the country's deficit. He stated that the law required Bulgaria to maintain a 3% deficit, and he accused the WCC-DB of creating a "fake budget" in order to meet this requirement. He added that, while the deficit figures may look acceptable, the real state of the budget was far worse. He called out Vassilev for "magically" manipulating the budget numbers and suggested that the truth about the financial situation would eventually be revealed. Borissov also dismissed the suggestion of nationalizing the "Lukoil" company, questioning where the funds for such a move would come from.

The GERB leader was vocal in his criticism of the WCC-DB’s handling of Bulgaria’s financial affairs, claiming that the party’s actions over the past four years had set the country back in its attempts to join the eurozone. He pointed out that, while the issue of joining the eurozone was a priority for him, it had been neglected by the WCC-DB, causing Bulgaria to lose valuable time. He also criticized the coalition for failing to take responsibility for their actions, accusing them of offering a rosy picture to the public while GERB continued to face the consequences.

Borissov also stated that his party would not remain in the government if the current situation continued. He expressed frustration over the coalition's failure to address critical financial issues, particularly the budget, and reiterated that GERB would not be blamed for the mistakes of others. He called on the coalition partners to reflect on their policies and consider what concessions they could make to improve the situation.

In response to the pro-Russian "Revival" party, Borissov dismissed their rhetoric, claiming that they were merely "politicizing" and "scaring people." He accused them of being ineffective and incapable of solving any problems. He also responded to questions regarding the ship "Vezhen" incident, saying he would wait for the investigation to be completed before commenting further.

As the situation continues to unfold, Borissov has made it clear that GERB will not accept blame for the financial chaos in Bulgaria and will hold firm in its stance against any attempts to falsify financial figures. He also noted that a convergence report would be requested to assess the true state of Bulgaria’s finances, which he believes will expose the mismanagement of the previous administration.

Borissov concluded his statements by reiterating that he would not remain in the government if the current situation persisted, emphasizing the need for a truthful and transparent approach to the country’s financial management. He also stressed the importance of adhering to the legal requirements for the budget and avoiding any further manipulation of the figures.

Asen Vassilev, co-chairman of the WCC-DB, dismissed the criticisms from Boyko Borissov and Kostadin Kostadinov, calling their claims a "dramatic lie" that has been repeated. In response to accusations that he had manipulated the budget, Vassilev joked that he would blink more often since he had been dubbed a "magician" by Borissov.

Vassilev expressed concern over GERB's apparent efforts to avoid joining the eurozone, pointing out that the party seemed to be searching for excuses. He also refuted claims made by Delyan Peevski regarding Kiril Petkov's trip to the U.S., stating that it was false that Petkov was seeking buyers for Lukoil. Vassilev clarified that Lukoil is a private company and that the state has no role in selling it.

On the issue of the alleged 18 billion budget deficit, Vassilev explained that for such a gap to exist, spending would need to exceed revenues. He emphasized that tax collections this year would likely increase by 5 to 7%, which is more than the expected growth in the economy, minimum wages, and inflation.

He also urged GERB to admit they have issues with their coalition partners instead of blaming the deficit. Vassilev accused GERB of aligning with Kostadinov’s party, "Revival," by rejecting the eurozone accession and disregarding the inflation data validated by Eurostat, a stance he believed undermined Bulgaria’s prospects for joining the eurozone.