The decision of President Rosen Plevneliev not to appoint a caretaker government after the constitutional possibilities for forming a cabinet in the current National Assembly were exhausted, provoked sharp political confrontation. There is not much time left until the early elections and this tone of confrontation will be transferred to the campaign.

The newly elected head of state Rumen Radev declined the offer of President Plevneliev to determine the composition of the cabinet, but pointed out that the political arguments and personal motivation of Plevneliev do not cancel provisions of the Constitution, while the pathos of good intentions did not replace the law. Rumen Radev had previously refused to make decisions before officially stepping into office but had not used such sardonic tone before.

Sharp comments towards Plevneliev made also ABV leader and former President Georgi Parvanov, accusing the incumbent head of state of violating the constitution. He said Plevneliev was safe from impeachment because of lack of time until the end of his term, but he must bear serious moral and political responsibility. BSP also made accusations towards Plevneliev. According to the socialists, by refusing to appoint a caretaker government the outgoing president was trying to create an unmanageable situation and to deepen the crisis.

Partners in the outgoing governing coalition between GERB and the Reformist Bloc, the Patriotic Front that used to provide support, and the opposition MRF, however, took an opposite position. According to them, President Plevneliev has acted responsibly and his behaviour in the situation was perfectly normal. Co-chairman of the Patriotic Font Valeri Simeonov also used sardonic tone, but towards president-elect Rumen Radev, saying that he behaved as an incompetent and cowardly man. This reaction is in sharp contrast with the understanding of outgoing Prime Minister and leader of GERB Boyko Borissov that Radev could not be criticized for refusing to participate in the formal procedure for the appointment of a caretaker government because he currently had no such powers. But members of the Patriotic Front voiced criticism towards Borissov, saying it was him who ordered not to create a new government in this Parliament because he could not allow successful management of the country without his participation.

Meanwhile, because of the likelihood of early elections to be held under the rules of majority voting system in two rounds, as 2.5 million voters  wished that during the recent referendum, members of the referendum initiative committee announced a project for a new regional division of the country, if such a system was introduced. Initiators of the new political project of former Justice Minister Hristo Ivanov called "Yes Bulgaria" also became more active and said that in January a formation that is to participate in the elections would be established. The big objective of the project is said to be removing the corruption model and putting an end to poverty. Initiators plan to work in cooperation with other political forces for achieving this aim, no matter whether they were on the right or left. PM Borissov recently said that the battle was yet to come. The tone of confrontation, however, creates the impression of going not to elections but to war.

English: Alexander Markov