And from now on, the decisions in Bulgaria will again are taken on the basis of interests, not laws and values, predicts the Austrian "Der Standard" on the eve of the elections.
In the sixth parliamentary elections in Bulgaria in a period of three years, it seems that it is possible to form a stable government, writes the Austrian "Der Standard". However, it can be a good option especially for the oligarchs, continues the author Adelheid Wölfl. It is about the possibility of GERB forming a coalition with DPS - the same two parties that brought people to the streets in 2020, the Austrian media recalls.
What is the possibility of a GERB-DPS coalition
GERB, who also won the previous elections last year, are now in a convincing lead according to the latest opinion polls, expected to garner around 27 percent support. The DPS also has its own solid electorate, which is expected to bring about 14 percent of the votes of the Bulgarians. Thus, the party to which the sanctioned under American law "Magnitsky" Bulgarian oligarch Peevski is co-chairman, fighting for second place with PP-DB, which until recently ruled together with GERB. In the competition for the second political force, which seems to be the most contested, the pro-Kremlin party "Vazrazhdane" is also ranked, writes "Der Standart".
GERB and DPS, however, will most likely need a third coalition partner to form a cabinet. The reformers from PP-DB are unlikely to try a second time to enter the government with GERB, notes the Austrian media. It was Borisov's party that withdrew from the coalition in March, when Maria Gabriel was expected to take the prime minister's post. "GERB decided to destroy the general government because it counted on getting more support in early elections and so it could govern more calmly," he told "Der Standart". Vesela Cherneva from the European Council for Foreign Policy.
The friends of the Kremlin will win these elections
One thing is clear - those close to the Kremlin will receive solid support on Sunday. In no other country in the European Union is Moscow's propaganda influence so serious, writes the author of the analysis, Adelheid Wölfl. There is no other European country where citizens feel so strongly connected to Russia.
"Revival" may become the second or third strongest party in Bulgaria, writes the German "Di Welt", recalling that Kostadinov's party cooperates with the Russian ruling party "United Russia". When "Alternative for Germany" was expelled from the far-right group "Identity and Democracy" (ID) in the European Parliament, they immediately gained a new partner: "Our German friends can count on us," Kostadin Kostadinov wrote in a post on social networks. His party was also kicked out by the European ID party. Last year, the Russian ambassador in Sofia said that she would vote for Kostadinov if she had the right to vote, the German publication also recalls.
GERB, which is a member of the European People's Party, has also helped Moscow before - for example, when in 2017, under the administration of Borisov, the deal for the construction of "Turkish Stream" was concluded, which was obviously to the detriment of Ukraine. "Bulgarian laws were circumvented, European interests were ignored, and Vladimir Putin's wishes were fulfilled," writes "Der Standart" on this occasion.
The Austrian media also pay attention to the recent scandal with Bulgaria's vote for the resolution on Srebrenica at the UN, calling what happened "influence exerted by Serbia on the Bulgarian caretaker government". According to Wölfl, if these events had unfolded during Borisov's government, the interests of Serbia and Russia would have prevailed.
Who would become prime minister?
Ursula von der Leyen visited Bulgaria recently and demonstrated that no one in the EPP hangs GERB, despite all the problems with Borisov and his association with Delyan Peevski, the Austrian media also wrote. However, the author predicts that Borisov will not try to lead the country again by himself. There is a possibility that GERB will nominate Rosen Zhelyazkov as prime minister, suggests "Der Standart".
And although the Kremlin's influence in Bulgaria was somewhat limited after the constitutional changes that prevented President Rumen Radev from regaining power in the formation of a cabinet, in all likelihood from now on decisions in Bulgaria will once again be made on the basis of interests. and not of laws and values.