New 'Greatness' Party Joins Bulgaria's Fragile Government as Budget Talks Intensify

Politics | March 19, 2025, Wednesday // 10:39
Bulgaria: New 'Greatness' Party Joins Bulgaria's Fragile Government as Budget Talks Intensify

Boyko Borissov, leader of GERB, stated that the Bulgarian government has been fragile from the outset and has grown even more fragile in recent times. Speaking to reporters in parliament, Borissov acknowledged the situation, expressing frustration over the current state of affairs. He emphasized that the prime minister must take responsibility for seeking a majority and that he would no longer tolerate what he sees as injustice.

Borissov reflected on the government's efforts to move towards the eurozone, pointing out that their previous work, including a year of floating majorities with various figures like Peevski, Kiril Petkov, and Asen Vassilev, seemed to be undone. He recalled how, during their time in power, they had to navigate complex decisions, such as those involving Ukraine and the Constitution, and now, in the face of a budget crisis, the situation seemed to be repeating itself, creating a sense of déjà vu. With several billion in deficits and an uncertain path ahead, Borissov voiced his discontent over the government’s inability to resolve these pressing issues.

Adding to the complexity, Borissov mentioned the ongoing delay in the Constitutional Court's decision regarding the "I do not support anyone" case, which could potentially alter the makeup of the parliament. He indicated that if the decision had been made earlier, some parties might not have even made it into parliament. Despite these concerns, he stated that GERB would push for the report on Bulgaria’s entry into the eurozone, expecting a political decision from the European Council in July.

Meanwhile, Delyan Peevski, leader of the DPS-New Beginning party, offered a different perspective. Peevski assured the public that there would be no chaos, asserting that the state would remain stable. He expressed strong support for the idea of Bulgaria entering the eurozone and dismissed concerns about instability. According to Peevski, the people have already made their decision, and whoever achieves the necessary majority in the parliament will govern.

The National Assembly is scheduled to discuss the State Social Insurance Budget and the National Health Insurance Fund Budget for 2025 in a second reading. This is part of a larger parliamentary agenda that also includes the election of the NHIF Governor and a new constitutional judge. However, the proposal from "We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria" (WCC-DB) to prioritize the discussion of the state budget was rejected, with a majority vote against it. WCC-DB members argued that the budgets should not be separated from other items on the agenda, suggesting that the timing of the discussions could imply deals behind the scenes.

As the parliamentary session continued, the newly formed "Greatness" group officially entered the National Assembly, bringing in fresh voices. The group, led by Ivelin Mihaylov, now has 10 deputies. Their arrival marked the inclusion of a ninth party in the legislature, with the group being greeted by supporters as they took their oath. This move helped the ruling majority reach the threshold of 121 members needed to maintain their influence in the parliament.

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Tags: Borissov, GERB, Peevski, Bulgaria

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