Published: 19:43, July 29, 2024
Bulgarian president asks 3rd party to form govt
By Xinhua

Bulgaria's President Rumen Radev speaks during the High-Level Segment for Heads of State and Government session at the United Nations climate summit in Dubai on December 2, 2023. (PHOTO / AFP)

SOFIA - Bulgarian President Rumen Radev on Monday asked There Is Such People (ITN) party to nominate a prime minister candidate and to try to form a government, in a last bid to avoid another early parliamentary election.

The move came after the failures of the majority parties in the parliament, including GERB-UDF and We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (PP-DB), to secure a ruling majority and form a government earlier in July.

If the ITN fails to form a ruling coalition and a government, new elections will be scheduled according to constitutional procedures.

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"It is the last chance for this National Assembly to elect a government," Radev said while giving the mandate to Toshko Yordanov, the chairman of the ITN parliamentary group.

Radev noted that ITN has consistently advocated for a regular government composed of independent experts.

Meanwhile, Radev called on ITN to immediately start talks with other political forces in the parliament, and provide information about the results within a reasonable time.

"We are acutely aware of what a serious crisis the country is in, and what responsibility this third mandate carries," said Yordanov, whose party has 16 seats in the 240-member parliament.

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Yordanov said his party would take a practical and sensible approach and hold talks with all parties and independent parliamentary members.

Bulgaria's parliamentary elections were held on June 9, with GERB-UDF winning 68 seats in the National Assembly. Although they were the biggest winners, they did not achieve a majority.