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Southeast Europe
February 16, 2018 www.intellinews.com I Page 16
Rifts deepen inside Bulgaria’s coalition during EU presidency
Denitsa Koseva in Sofia
Deputy Prime Minister Valeri Simeonov admit- ted on February 13 that the three members of the hard right nationalist United Patriots - the junior partner of Bulgaria's Citizens for European De- velopment of Bulgaria (Gerb) - are having disa- greements and their coalition is unstable. The latest problems are yet another embarrassment for Prime Minister Boyko Borissov as the country struggles to impress during its turn at the EU’s rotating presidency.
The United Patriots came to power for the
first time in 2017, in coalition with Borissov’s Gerb, prompting fears of a shift to the far right by Bulgaria’s populist prime minister. If the patriots collapse, this would put pressure on the government, but the chances of a change of government are not that high as Borissov has another potential ally in the parliament, the Volya party. The ethnic-Turk Movement for Rights and Freedom (DPS) also is backing the government unofficially.
Simeonov is the leader of the National Front for Salvation of Bulgaria (NFSB), which makes up the United Patriots along with the Bulgarian National Movement (VMRO) and Ataka. In an interview with public broadcaster BNT, he admitted that the coa- lition is “creaking” and said that he is attempting to stabilise it.
“There are several month-old tensions within the parliamentary group, and there is no will for them to be resolved, especially by the colleague [VMRO leader Krasimir] Karakachanov,” Simeonov said.
Valeri Simeonov is the leader of the far right National Front for Salvation of Bulgaria (NFSB).
Stabilisation of relations between the three parties in the coalition depends on Karakachanov, he added.
Recently, the parties clashed over the adoption of the Istanbul Convention, which is directed against domestic violence but which is opposed by conservative, nationalist and far-right forces which claim it calls for the recognition of a “third gender”.
While both Simeonov and Karakachanov said that the United Patriots will not support the con- vention’s ratification, the NFSB leader opposed his colleague’s proposal for a referendum on
its adoption. Meanwhile, there are rumours in the media that Simeonov is secretly backing the ruling Gerb in its efforts to have the convention adopted.
Aside from the clash over the Istanbul convention, the three parties do not have significant differ- ences in their policies, and the instability seems to have arisen from the desire of both Simeonov and Karakachanov to lead the coalition.
Of the two, Karakachanov has so far been the quieter leader with less scandalous statements or actions.
Simeonov, on the other hand, has already been sentenced for hate speech against Bulgaria’s Roma minority and provoked outrage when he threatened a TV host while participating in
a life show.