GERB, Bulgaria without Censorship to Hold Gov't Talks Friday

Conservative GERB party and the centrist coalition Bulgaria without Censorship are set to meet for consultations in Parliament.

BwC's Rumen Yonchev told private national NOVA TV his coalition was offering "preliminary support" to the center-right party.

Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB), which won Bulgaria's general elections on October 5, is holding talks this week with all the remaining parties that made it into the National Assembly.

It failed to agree on joint government participation with right-wing Reformist Bloc, deemed its most natural ally, on Wednesday, but made a breakthrough with nationalist Patriotic Front (PF) the next day.

Bulgaria without Censorship, a coalition led by ex-journalist Nikolay Barekov's party with the same name, had the sixth-biggest number of ballots cast in the elections. It has recently portrayed itself as a centrist political entity, but has frequently changed its ideology.

The party's leadership announced in a media statement Thursday it was ready to renounce "many" of its demands for the sake of stability in Bulgaria and vowed to refrain from attempts at isolating other parties in Parliament.

Its leader Nikolay Barekov decided earlier this week to retain his seat in the European Parliament and is currently not in Bulgaria.

Despite their agreement GERB and the PF cannot form a government on their own, since they fall short of a majority by having 101 seats (whereas 121 out of 240 are needed).

A fourth party will be necessary even if BwC reaches a deal with conservatives.

GERB has also left the door open to a new meeting with Reformist Bloc representatives after all other parties have been contacted.

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GERB, Bulgaria without Censorship to Hold Gov't Talks Friday