Bulgaria’s “Revival” party has ruled out participating in any attempts to form a new government under the 51st National Assembly, reiterating its demand for early elections in March. Party leader Kostadin Kostadinov, accompanied by MPs Tsoncho Ganev, Yordan Todorov, and Svetoslav Todorov, met with President Rumen Radev at the presidency on Dondukov 2 street to discuss the political situation and potential cabinet formation.

During the consultations, Radev acknowledged the seriousness of the socio-economic and political challenges Bulgaria faces, asking the party whether they saw a path to establishing a new government or preferred immediate elections. He also questioned whether changes to the Electoral Code were needed to enhance trust in the voting process, and whether the party saw issues with the law on the extended budget.

Kostadinov described the country’s situation as a “crisis” and declared that the current National Assembly is politically dead, illegitimate, and incapable of forming a government. He stressed that early elections were necessary to prevent further economic damage, pointing to inflation nearing 6% and warning that the Bulgarian lev could be destabilized amid the ongoing eurozone accession process. According to Kostadinov, Bulgaria has effectively been “pushed” into the eurozone without a proper budget, and he criticized the National Statistical Institute for allegedly manipulating inflation data.

The party leader pressed Radev on his stance regarding a referendum to preserve the Bulgarian lev versus adopting the euro. Radev responded that he shared concerns about the euro but considered convening the National Security Advisory Council largely futile, warning that it would serve only as a platform for electioneering rather than resolving the crisis. He emphasized that any council would likely be dominated by parties that had previously avoided responsibility, producing no meaningful outcome.

On the issue of election integrity, Kostadinov reiterated “Revival's” proposals for changes to the Electoral Code, including fully machine-based voting, the establishment of counting centers, and representation in the Municipal Election Commissions. He argued that encouraging high voter turnout would reduce the risk of manipulation and strengthen electoral transparency.

Radev also touched on broader election questions, noting the importance of a referendum on Bulgaria’s eurozone entry. He highlighted that only a few EU countries had held public votes on adopting the euro, making it vital to consult Bulgarian citizens directly.

The president’s consultations continued with the first two parliamentary forces: GERB and “We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria” (WCC-DB). GERB invited Radev to facilitate early elections, while WCC-DB secured his backing for removing Delyan Peevski’s security and implementing full machine voting. Following these talks, Radev will proceed to award mandates in sequence to the first, second, and a president-chosen third party. Should all three attempts fail, he plans to appoint a prime minister from the house list along with a caretaker cabinet and set a date for new elections.

Kostadinov insisted that the public needs clarity on financial matters and that delays in elections would only exacerbate Bulgaria’s economic turmoil. He maintained that the National Assembly’s incapacity makes early elections in March feasible and essential. Radev agreed that the Assembly could not be resuscitated and underscored that the current government must fulfill its duties until a caretaker administration is installed.