The decision by the Reformist Bloc to accept the exploratory mandate for the formation of a new cabinet, handed them by the president was a bolt out of the blue, giving ample food for thought as to where the twists and turns in Bulgarian political life could lead. Baffled by what is going on, the public is now eager to find out what “the clearly defined parliamentary majority for the formation of a new cabinet under this parliament,” as GERB put it after yesterday’s consultations with the Reformist Bloc and the Patriotic Front, actually means.

Over the past month the two biggest political forces – GERB and the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) – handed the president back the mandates for forming a cabinet with the motive that a new cabinet under this parliament was not possible. When the Patriotic Front stated it was ready to form a government, the Reformist Bloc chimed in, saying that “made sense”, meaning the formation of an expert government. When the president decided against offering the patriots the third exploratory mandate, they were offended, saying external pressure had been exerted on him to refuse them the mandate. But now they seem inclined to support the formation of a cabinet by a political force to which, obviously, there are no “external” objections. There were other tasks such a government would have to set itself which they did not see eye to eye on, but as the programme of the cabinet in the offing is yet to be negotiated, it is too early to be discussing any of them. One more thing it is too early to be talking about – the line-up of the future cabinet, as, according to the mandate-holders, the Reformist Bloc, the names of the prime minister and the cabinet ministers will depend on its programme. What is known at this time is that the prime minister of this would-be cabinet will be from the Reformist Bloc, while GERB are prepared to take part with cabinet ministers.

The new parliamentary majority may still be unclear, yet there is a very definite position in the left-wing political spectrum against it. BSP leader Kornelia Ninova was adamant that support for a new Reformist Bloc-GERB government was not an option, as it would be disastrous for Bulgaria. The socialists say that these are the same parties that are in government now, and that all that the public are being offered are the same people after switching places.

One other thing is clear – that the decision of the Reformist Bloc to accept the mandate to form a government is splitting this parliamentary coalition down the middle. Because of this decision the Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria expelled outgoing Health Minister Petar Moskov, declaring their unswerving support for the new political project of Hristo Ivanov that has set itself the task of fighting corruption, stating this is the cause it will rally other political forces around at the very next parliamentary elections.

Thus, paradoxically, the decision to form a cabinet under the present parliament does not provide answers to any of the pending questions regarding Bulgaria’s political future, far from it, in actual fact it generates more speculation. The outcome is only a matter of time, maybe hours, though some say it may take longer before it is revealed.