We are on the verge of new elections. It is still not clear how we will vote, but there are several certain things. One of them is that the state does not have a budget. This will be the next big challenge for the next regular government, if there is one soon.
“I have voted both with a paper ballot and with a machine. You know that there was a period when the machine was without alternative. The problem is that in the elections after 2021, when voting only by machine was mandatory, the election administrations, or rather the governments that organized the elections at that time, managed to discredit this instrument as well“. He commented on this in “This Sunday“ the former finance minister in several GERB governments - Vladislav Goranov.
„You remember how a minister filmed the generation of the codes with his phone. You remember how some recordings of „ala-bala“ with the president were leaked. Then the decision was reached that the people should be given the right to choose, because there were many places where people who were not so used to technology had a harder time coping“, he pointed out.
“The colleagues who introduced amendments to the Electoral Code in early January 2025, related precisely to the introduction of the alternative idea of scanners that would count the result automatically - if they had insisted so much from January 2025, a similar change could have been achieved, because we also believe that it is important to restore trust in the electoral process. This could increase voter turnout on the one hand and certainly restore the sense of fairness in the electoral process“, said the former finance minister.
“We would support entry immediately and most likely we will do so. There are weeks left until the new elections. Let's say that the financial resources are found. Let's assume that this is not the logistical problem. The problem is that in such a short time, changing the technology, holding elections, is unnecessary. And it seems a bit like another attempt to replace talking about politics with talking about technology”, Goranov noted.
“The colleagues from the PP-DB insisted so much on changing the way elections are held that they introduced a law back in January 2025. They could have put this on their agenda. You know that every first Wednesday of the month the opposition sets the agenda of the plenary hall“, he pointed out.
„Keep in mind that the outcome of this mandate, jointly with the colleagues who supported the government, is the easiest story for GERB. The easiest story for a claim to Bulgarian society - that we know what needs to be done, we can and we achieve it even in a relatively short period“, Goranov said.
„I will let you look at Tomislav Donchev's report on the Ministry of Innovation and Growth - a completely blocked plan for recovery and sustainability, minimal absorption of European funds. In less than 11 months - billions in the Bulgarian economy. If this government were not there, Rumen Radev probably would not have had to ask for a referendum on the euro, because the euro would never have been a topic,“ he added.
“What GERB did with its ministers during its mandate was to implement a structured, pragmatic political program that would solve problems day by day“, Goranov noted and added that there were probably communication problems and displays of arrogance.
When asked whether “DPS-New Beginning“ had sunk this government, he replied: “Arrogance can be found in a 26-second meeting of the Energy Committee. Arrogance can be found in changing the time of viewing the budget. Things that only gave illegitimate reasons for opposition leaders to hysterize and inflame the situation“.
In his words, GERB are “the most accustomed to alliances“ and to be on both the bride's and the groom's side.
"If nothing changes - even before the elections are held, the current extended budget law will not be in effect. On March 31, all the norms that say how money can be spent from the Bulgarian budget in 2026 expire. Even the current majorities in parliament, even the current acting 51st parliament, before the elections for the 52nd parliament, will have to make some decision in this direction," Goranov noted.
“We have been waiting for it for a long time, because all this speculation only stirs up the political terrain. To come down, go to a stationary orbit and see how policies are made. I have always said that my analysis is that he does not need it. But this is his right and no one can stop him“.
When asked if Rumen Radev is a possible partner in a future GERB government, Vladislav Goranov said “A lot depends on his attitude towards Russia, the war in Ukraine, Crimea and other such topics, where he has always had his own opinion, which was quite far from the common European position and the values that GERB professes.“
“The answer is, if the policy of the party leader Radev has any tangent to the pro-European policy that we profess, there can always be a conversation. Until that day, we were in a government with the BSP, ITN, GERB and with the support of “DPS-New Beginning“, commented Goranov.
He said that there are no sanctions from Great Britain.