GERB: We are ready for pro-term elections

We are ready to take part in pro-term parliamentary elections but the President should resign in order for the parliamentary and presidential elections to be held simultaneously, announced yesterday for Klassa Rumen Ivanov, MP from GERB (Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria) and member of the Executive Committee of the ruling party. The reason for the sharp reaction of the Government was the shorthand record of the conversation between President Georgi Parvanov and Simeon Djankov, published on March 5 on the website of the Presidency. They met on March 5 at Djankov's request and on the insistence of PM Boyko Borissov in order to sort out the misunderstandings between them. These arose after the participation of the Deputy Prime Minister in the show of Ivan and Andrey, on March 1, on BTV. Then, answering a question of the show host whether he continues to think that the President is a young billionaire Djankov replied that he is certainly not young. This enraged Parvanov who, on March 2, urged the Finance Minister to clarify the suggestions made concerning property and funds Parvanov owned abroad which tarnished his reputation, or submit his resignation. Officials from the Ministry of Finance, however, denied that such suggestions had been made by the Deputy Prime Minister and said that they have at their disposal a record of the broadcast, showing that the words of the minister were taken out context. The Presidency replied that shorthand recording is normal practice and whether the record will be made public or not is a decision to be made by the institution.

Borissov's answer 

"If President Georgi Parvanov wants war, fine. He will get it,” commented Prime Minister Boyko Borissov to Trud daily yesterday on the publication of the shorthand record, which shows that the meeting between the President and Djankov was attended by Nikola Kolev, Chief of the Office of the President and the Secretary for Financial Policy Kiril Ananiev, who also posed questions to financier No.1. The PM pointed out to Trud that he had anticipated a clash with the President in two years's time but Parvanov has pressed the issue. Borissov claimed that he had read carefully the shorthand record of the conversation and added: "The President is not right - he is causing a conflict which the state does not need at this point and which is harmful to the state."