Borissov: Tsvetanov's Resignation Was His Own Decision

The ruling GERB party discussed at a meeting on Friday the outcome of the May 26 European elections. The meeting came a day after GERB's deputy chairman and election campaign manager Tsvetan Tsvetanov resigned from all the posts he held in the party.

Speaking to reporters, Prime Minister and GERB chairman Boyko Borisov said that the analysis of the election results shows that GERB's victory is "categorical", "which is confirmed by the resignation of the leader of the [opposition] Bulgarian Socialist Party, Kornelia Ninova".

Approached to comment Tsvetanov's resignation, Borissov said that it was Tsvetanov's own decision. "The trust on many topics is missing, and once it is missing, the resignation is the right decision," he said. Borissov said the options before Tsvetanov were resignation from the top positions in GERB, an end to media appearance and serving as GERB's "face", and continuing to work in GERB's headquarters as an ordinary member. "He did not agree and we chose the option of resigning his top positions," Borissov said.

The GERB leader said that Tomislav Donchev will not replace Tsvetanov as GERB deputy chairman.

Borissov also said that Denitsa Zheleva has been appointed as chef de cabinet of the Prime Minister, replacing Roumyana Buchvarova, who will become Bulgaria's ambassador in Israel.

Approached by a reporter whether after Tsvetanov's resignation GERB will be left with two deputy heads, instead of the current three, Borissov said that "two deputies and more power of the administrative secretary who handles technical matters is more than enough". He went on to note that this is a decision in the remit of GERB's Executive Commission and a meeting which will be held on July 7. According to GERB's statutes, relieving someone from their posts can only be done at such a forum.

Source: BTA