Vice President Iliana Iotova urged Prime Minister Kiril Petkov to urgently hold consultations with the chairpersons of the parliamentary groups so as to attain a consensus on several important issues by the end of the month – among them the update of the state budget.

The Vice President added that now is not the time for elections, because of the difficult situation connected with the war in Ukraine, and that the longer the date of elections is deferred the better.

“We need a functioning parliament because Bulgaria may have to face a situation in which it will have to make very tough decisions,” Vice President Iotova said. According to her, it is in the hands of the Prime Minister to put forward decisions in the interest of citizens that are so potent that they will be acceptable even to the opposition.

Later in a video address, Prime Minister Kiril Petkov said he would talk every day to lawmakers ready to serve Bulgaria, not their party leader. The state should not be pushed into instability because of behind-the-scenes agreements and political ego, he warned, thanking for the support of the BSP and Democratic Bulgaria.