Socialists withdraw from talks on new government in Bulgaria
Without the Socialists’ support, it would be next to impossible for “Continue the Change’’, the dominant party in the outgoing government, to secure a majority in Parliament to support the formation of a new government on its mandate.
The Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) on Wednesday, announced that it was withdrawing from talks with the Continue the Change Party on the possible formation of a new government.
The talks were in the wake of the expulsion of 70 Russian diplomats from the country.
The decision was announced by BSP leader Kornelia Ninova, a Deputy Prime Minister in the outgoing government of Kiril Petkov, after the meeting of party leadership.
Bulgaria had announced its decision to expel 70 Russian diplomats on Tuesday evening.
The Foreign Ministry said there were two reasons.
One is the principle of reciprocity, based on Art. 11 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, considering that the Russian Embassy staff outnumbered by far that of the Bulgarian Embassy in Moscow.
The other reason was the competent Bulgarian authorities had deemed the Russian members of staff activity incompatible with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
BSP said that the decision was unprecedented in Bulgaria's history.
The Socialists were ready to return to the negotiating table if Continue the Change nominate a candidate for prime minister other than Kiril Petkov, Ninova said.
They also urged the President to hold an emergency meeting of the Consultative Council on National Security.
Without the Socialists' support, it would be next to impossible for "Continue the Change'', the dominant party in the outgoing government, to secure a majority in Parliament to support the formation of a new government on its mandate.
After Prime Minister Kiril Petkov lost a June 22 no-confidence vote in the legislature.
Even with the Socialists' support, Continue the Change was six MPs short of a majority in Parliament.
Continue the Change is an electoral alliance in Bulgaria led by Kiril Petkov and Asen Vasilev, the former caretaker of Economy and Finance Ministers.
BSP has 26 MPs in the 240-seat Parliament, Continue the Change has 67 and Democratic Bulgaria has 16, plus 7 independents.
In the opposition camp were GERB-UDF with 59, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms 34, There Is Such a People (is a populist political party in Bulgaria established by Bulgarian) 19 and Vazrazhdane 12.