Pro-Russian socialists eye decisive role in Bulgarian government

SOFIA - The pro-Russia Socialist Party announced on Sunday that it would join the future governing coalition with the centre-right GERB party of former prime minister Boyko Borissov and the populist There Is Such a People.

The Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), the direct heirs of the totalitarian Bulgarian Communist Party that was in power in Bulgaria when it was a Soviet sphere of influence, is strongly opposed to military aid to Ukraine.

The party is sceptical about Bulgaria's rapid entry into the eurozone and opposes the closure of Bulgaria's coal-fired power sector, despite Sofia's commitments under the Green Deal.

In the autumn of 2024, a BSP MP paid an official visit to Russia at the invitation of former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. The Bulgarian counter-intelligence service also investigated the party for providing illegal assistance to the Russian diplomatic mission in the country.

Atanas Zafirov, the leader of the party, is a leading candidate for the post of deputy prime minister without portfolio, with the party insisting on receiving the ministries of regional, social and environmental affairs. These are portfolios directly related to the implementation of the commitment to decarbonise the Bulgarian economy made to European partners.

"The main emphasis in the future government will be to bring out the quality of life of people as a top priority with a focus on healthcare, education and the development of the labour market," says the socialist party.

"In the prepared agreement, the parties commit to protecting the welfare state, ensuring more justice, including through a review of the revenue system, as well as steps for financial decentralisation," it adds.

The BSP and There Is a People governed Bulgaria together in 2022, as part of a coalition led by the pro-European party We Continue the Change. During this period, Bulgaria refused to send state military aid to Ukraine because of opposition from the BSP.

The Bulgarian military-industrial complex sold arms to Kyiv, but through intermediaries because of the BSP's resistance to direct deals.

Until a week ago, GERB was negotiating to form a government with the pro-European liberal Democratic Bulgaria party, but talks were abruptly broken off by Borissov over disagreements about the appointment of his right-hand man, Rosen Zhelyazkov, as prime minister.

Negotiations continued on Friday, but only with the BSP and There Is a People, who agreed to appoint Zhelyazkov as prime minister.

The BSP says it is doing everything it can to help Bulgaria get out of the severe political crisis, which can only happen with the election of a regular government.

The future coalition between GERB, BSP and ITN is likely to be supported by one of the two parties of the country's Turkish minority - Ahmed Dogan's MRF.

(Krassen Nikolov | Euractiv.bg)