Bulgaria: Borissov proposes coalition after contested vote

Former Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov has invited his political opponents to talks on forming a government

Former Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, whose center-right GERB party clinched a narrow win in Bulgaria’s parliamentary election, invited his political opponents Wednesday to talks on forming a government.

Results from Sunday’s election, Bulgaria's fifth in two years, showed GERB with 26.5% of the vote, edging out the reformist We Continue the Change party by less than 2 percentage points. Four other parties passed the minimum support threshold needed to make it into the 240-seat National Assembly.

Borissov led three governments in the last decade, but allegations of corrupt practices, links to oligarchs and suppression of media freedom, which sparked protests, gradually eroded his reputation.

Speaking to reporters at his party’s headquarters, he said GERB would initiate talks with all groups in parliament to seek common ground for a viable governing coalition.

Borissov was firm that lawmakers must approve a new government, arguing that holding yet another election would jeopardize parliamentary democracy in Bulgaria.

He described as GERB's “natural partners” any parties that support Ukraine's defense against Russia and that back Bulgaria’s drive to join the European Union's visa-free Schengen Area and eurozone. But he added that “the most stable government would be one formed by the two largest groups.”

Voters on Sunday indicated that Bulgaria cannot do without GERB or the reformist We Continue the Change, Borissov said, suggesting that his party was ready to discuss “all kind of reforms.”

The most likely way to keep NATO and EU member Bulgaria on its pro-Western track would be a grand coalition between those parties. However, there are strong personal animosities between their leaders.

We Continue the Change was created a couple of years ago with the clear aim of opposing and defeating Borissov’s corruption-tainted government.

The party's leaders said Tuesday that they would not support a Cabinet with the participation of GERB.