Bulgaria is at risk of falling into a new crisis after the two largest ruling political parties failed to form a unity government to help the European Union's poorest country overcome political instability.
Bulgaria's Prime Minister-designate, Mariya Gabriel, on March 25 canceled efforts to form a new Cabinet. Her decision was approved after a round of voting in the Bulgarian Parliament on March 3, bringing the Southeast European country closer to an early election.
If early elections are triggered, as early as next June, this will be the 6th election in Bulgaria in just over 6 years.
Political unrest threatens to further delay Bulgaria's long-delayed goal of joining the Eurozone next year, and could hinder much-needed military aid to Ukraine, in context of growing pro-Russian and nationalist forces.
Previously, after the election last April, in order to end the electoral cycle that often resulted in deadlock, the "pro-Western" reform bloc, including the We Continue the Change Party (PP) and the Democratic Party, The Bulgarian Democratic Party (DB) led by former Prime Minister Kiril Petkov has reached a power-sharing agreement with the political bloc led by the center-right GERB Party of former Prime Minister Boyko Borissov.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky meets Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov and Bulgarian Foreign Minister Mariya Gabriel in Sofia, July 7. Photo: Rubryka
Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov, who represented PP-DB to run the coalition Cabinet until March 5, resigned to make way for GERB-UDF's Gabriel as part of a power-sharing agreement.
But the two sides failed in their efforts to achieve a smooth transfer of power, and instead accused each other of "sabotaging" the negotiations. The two-week negotiation process turned into a partisan row over issues related to judicial reform, the leadership of security agencies and Ms. Gabriel's new Cabinet.
Former Prime Minister Borissov was ousted in 2021 amid anti-corruption protests. Borissov's departure has given way to a series of fragile coalitions and interim Cabinets as Bulgarians repeatedly go to the polls.
Former Prime Minister Petkov will now have the opportunity to form a new Cabinet, but without support from Borissov's GERB-UDF, the PP-DB will not have the necessary support. Another unsuccessful bid would allow Bulgarian President Rumen Radev to pick a third side in his bid to form a final government before scheduling early elections for the EU-NATO member state.
Minh Đức (According to Bloomberg, AP)
