Bulgarian Election Winner Reaches Deal for Coalition Government
Bulgarian Election Winner Reaches Deal for Coalition Government
(Bloomberg) -- Four parties agreed to form a new government in Bulgaria on Friday, a deal that may end a year-long political crisis that has engulfed this European Union member state.
The upstart Continuing the Change party, which edged out former Prime Minister Boyko Borissov’s Gerb in the Nov. 14 vote -- the third in a year -- will lead the coalition. Headed by two Harvard Business School alumni, Kiril Petkov and Assen Vassilev, it has vowed to eradicate the corruption that has plagued the Balkan state and undercut its economy since the fall of communism.
The coalition, which controls 134 out of 240 seats in parliament, also includes the Socialists, a liberal anti-graft coalition called Democratic Bulgaria, and the anti-establishment ITN party led by talk-show host Stanislav Trifonov.
The accord “will give the chance for this coalition to be healthy and to work for a long time,” Petkov said.
The deal opens the path for President Rumen Radev to start Saturday a formal procedure that will lead to the cabinet’s approval in parliament. Lawmakers are expected to vote as early as Monday.
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