AGAINST a background of optimism expressed by the deputy leader of the Union of Democratic Forces (UDF) Nikolai Mladenov about possible right-wing co-operation ahead of the summer parliamentary elections, one of the potential members of the coalition is facing serious internal problems.
In an interview with the Koritarov Live evening talk show hosted by Nova TV and Radio New Europe, the leader of the Bulgarian Agrarian People's Union - People's Union (BAPU-PU), Anastasia Mozer, said she might resign.
Mozer, who has the ambition to act as a unifying force and reconcile the UDF with its former leader Ivan Kostov and his new party, the Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria (DSB), could not reach an agreement with the governing body of her own party on the coalition agreement with Stefan Sofianski's Union of Free Democrats (UFD) and the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organisation (IMRO).
In the interview, Mozer said that her stance against a possible coalition with the UFD because of their willingness to co-operate with Simeon Saxe-Coburg's National Movement Simeon II (NMSII) was not supported by the Managerial Board of the BAPU-PU.
According to her, at the January 15 meeting of the party leadership she argued that, before making any commitments, the party should have talks with the UDF and the DSB who are also willing to form coalitions.
"Yes, I said it clearly," Mozer said in the interview. "And I must admit, I turned out to be the minority. In such case a leader should make the conclusions."
At the same time, deputy UDF leader Mladenov said that coalition talks with the other right-wing parties which took part in the November 10 meeting at which the foundations of a potential coalition were laid out, were proceeding at full speed.
According to him, the next meeting of the right-wing parties would be on February 4.
At this meeting, an analysis of the co-operation among the right-wing parties on local level would be discussed.
"In order for a coalition to be successful, it has to prove that it is able to work well at local level and this is why the analysis was ordered and will be presented at the upcoming meeting," Mladenov said.
Mladenov, however, refused to take a position on the controversy involving the Municipal Bank (see page 4) and the disputes in the Sofia municipal council that ensued.
According to Mladenov, the bank controversy would not have any effect on the coalition negotiations because it had nothing to do with it.
Mladenov said that UDF leader Nadezhda Mihailova would take part in the regular meeting of the political bureau of the European People's Party (EPP) to be held towards the end of January in Brussels.
At the meeting, she will brief EPP president Wilfried Martens on progress in negotiations among right-wing parties in Bulgaria.
Mladenov announced that on April 7 and 8 in Sofia a meeting will be held of the group European People's Party - European Democrats (EPP-ED) and the leaderships of the Bulgarian members of the EPP - UDF, the Democratic Party and the BAPU-PU.
Another right-wing leader, Sofia mayor Stefan Sofianski, however, used the Municipal Bank controversy to attack his rivals.
In an interview with Bulgarian National Television's (BNT) morning talk show, Sofianski said that both the DSB and the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) wanted to disrupt the work of the municipality.
According to Sofianski, even though the bank and politics should not be mixed up, there was a certain quantity of politics in the controversy.
"I will tell you where the politics is," he said. "The politics is in this that both the BSP and the DSB have an interest in seeing the municipal councillors arguing. Because the Sofia Municipal Council is a touchstone for the future of the right-wing coalition at national level. So if it does not work for Sofia, it would not work for Bulgaria."
Meanwhile, in Parliament President Georgi Purvanov proposed a date for the parliamentary elections that seemed to satisfy most parties.
In his speech to Parliament and the nation on the occasion of the third anniversary of his inauguration, Purvanov suggested that the elections be held on June 25, Saturday.
Purvanov said that in suggesting this date, he had considered the concerns of many parties that in July and August, when most people go on vacation, a high voter turnout would be unlikely.
He said that it was very important for the current Parliament to ensure the timely approval of the legislation and the rules for the elections in order to provide a stable and working next parliament.
Several days after Purvanov's speech, Prime Minister Saxe-Coburg was still wondering whether or not a Saturday was appropriate to hold elections on.
"It will be discussed what is the most appropriate," Saxe-Coburg told journalists. "The President suggested a Saturday, which is something new, but it has to be discussed."
Saxe-Coburg did not clarify whether he would approve of the spending of 150 000 leva on the purchase of a yellow bus in which NMSII candidates will tour the country during the elections campaign, as reported by some Bulgarian-language media.
"Let us turn the question and see what will decide NMSII - whether there is something abnormal in buying a bus which can be used for something or renting it," Saxe-Coburg said. "Let us not turn this into a masquerade."
Meanwhile, another prominent political leader, Tsvetelin Kunchev, also known as Don Tsetsi, announced the election campaign plans of his party, Evroroma.
At a meeting in Pleven, Kunchev said that the lists of his party would be topped by famous figures from the chalga business, such as Azis, the transvestite Boni and Toni Storaro.
He also said he expected that the Evroroma supporters will suggest Sofi Marinova, Anelia and other chalga singers.
According to Kunchev, Azis will most certainly lead a list in a major city such as Varna or Bourgas or 25th section in Sofia. Boni will lead the list in Sliven, while Storaro will top the list in Silistra.
Kunchev said that most probably the slogan of Evroroma's campaign would be "Let's Wake Up the Sleepy Parliament".