Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

BSP stops negotiations for a new cabinet, does not want Kiril Petkov as PM over Russian diplomats scandal

Kornelia Ninova
Photo: BGNES

The Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) has stopped negotiations with We Continue the Change for a new cabinet because of Prime Minister Kirill Petkov's decision to expel 70 Russian diplomats. 
"This is an unprecedented rupture of diplomatic relations with Russia," BSP leader Kornelia Ninova said after a meeting of the party's executive bureau. She said the decision was taken unilaterally and was not discussed by the Council of Ministers. However, outgoing Sports Minister Radostin Vassilev claimed differently - the cabinet had discussed the case with the Russian diplomats in a closed session and the ministers from the BSP quota had reacted negatively. 

Ninova insisted that the parliament should hear the chairman of the State Agency for National Security  in a closed session on the issue of the Russian diplomats, and that the president should convene the Consultative Council on National Security

The BSP would only return to the talks for a new government if We Continue the Change abandoned their plan to nominate Kiril Petkov as prime minister, Kornelia Ninova stated. 

The decision of the BSP to quit the negotiations on the formation of a new government will be discussed at a meeting of the parliamentary group We Continue the Change, said its chairman Andrey Gurov. He called on the political left to reconsider their reaction and added that We Continue the Change will do everything possible to form a government with the first exploratory mandate.

"It is better to talk about priorities related to judicial reform, accession of Bulgaria to the Schengen area, policies for joining the eurozone," said Christo Ivanov, one of the leaders of Democratic Bulgaria and asked who is ready to work for a real energy independence of our country. According to him, the ruling coalition must continue to exist, otherwise the country would inevitably plunge into chaos. 




Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Christine Lagarde

ECB: Bulgaria is making progress in meeting the convergence criteria for the Eurozone

Bulgaria is well advanced in the process of meeting the criteria for joining the Eurozone, European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said during her regular press conference. Christine Lagarde was asked to comment on the country’s..

published on 1/30/25 6:39 PM

Weather continues warm and foggy until midday with sun in the afternoon

On Friday there will be fog in the lowlands and valleys in the morning and until midday. Minimum temperatures 0-5° C., for Sofia around zero. During the day the clouds will begin to disperse and to scatter from the Southwest, and the weather will be..

published on 1/30/25 6:20 PM

Vazrazhdane to request that Finance Minister Petkova be heard in parliament regarding Bulgaria's entry into the Eurozone

The MPs from Vazrazhdane party will request that Minister of Finance Temenuzhka Petkova be heard in parliament regarding Bulgaria's entry into the Eurozone, announced the leader of the party, Kostadin Kostadinov. "We have inside information from..

published on 1/30/25 6:15 PM