Bulgarian Economy Minister Bozhidar Lukarski has downplayed assurances by the Democrats for Strong Bulgaria (DSB) it is not part of Bulgaria's governing coalition.

DSB is a member of the Reformist Bloc (RB) coalition Lukarski is also in as chairman of the Union of Democratic Forces (SDS).

But earlier in December, DSB announced it was moving into opposition to voice his disagreement over Parliament's rejection of two sections of a judicial reform proposal. The party's leader Radan Kanev then announced he was withdrawing support from the government of Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, where the latter's center-right GERB party and the Reformist Bloc are coalition partners.

But Lukarski told Focus News Agency on Tuesday that the DSB has not left the government "either de facto or de jure".

Apart from the fact that "a national congress" of the DSB is due in March for the decision to be officially announced, "DSB could not have quit power given that there have been only three resignations out of the many people taking offices [in governance]," Lukarski added.

Kanev "has to define himself as to whether he is in opposition or in position; whether he is actually to set up a new right-wing project but in the same time claims he will remain part of the DSB and the Reformist Bloc depending on the developments," in his words.

Kanev says he is disappointed with what he calls behind-the-scenes games in Parliament backing the "status quo" in the country. He announced DSB's several lawmakers were switching to opposition after Justice Minister Hristo Ivanov stepped down over Parliament's vote on the judicial reform (other texts of which were passed).

Health Minister Petar Moskov of DSB, however, has remained in office, with the party maintaining it was "his decision" that was "backed by Prime Minister Boyko Borisov".

Decisionmaking at the RB, a loose coalition of parties formed in 2013 around the anti-government protests, has often been marked by tensions among the key members, DSB of Kanev, SDS of Lukarski, and Bulgaria for Citizens Movement (DBG) of Deputy PM Meglena Kuneva. Earlier this month, the latter two declared their respective parties would not follow DSB in withdrawing support from the governing coalition, and a RB meeting confirmed that in mid-December.

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