Bulgaria’s two main political forces have failed to agree on a new compromise government, raising the risk of early elections in the Balkan country hit by political instability, AFP writes.

Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov resigned at the beginning of March to give way to former European Commissioner Maria Gabriel, as stipulated in the agreement concluded in June 2023 after a long crisis, reminds Agerpres.

However, the process caused tension between the two partners, as the conservative GERB party tried to gain an advantage over the liberal-reformist We Continue Change coalition.

Maria Gabriel insisted on keeping the post of foreign minister after taking over the government, while her GERB party targeted the defense and energy portfolios.

Faced with the failure of negotiations, the 44-year-old manager decided, however, to propose the government.

“We cannot afford to hold new elections,” she said after handing over the mandate to the president. “That’s why I decided to take on the responsibilities” and “offer a cabinet of experienced personalities.”

The Liberals refused to give their consent, and more than ten ministers from their camp, included in the list, withdrew their names.

If the vote in the parliament fails in the coming days, the head of state Rumen Radev will be forced to instruct other officials to conduct negotiations, but then new elections will be very likely.

With five elections between 2021 and 2023, Bulgaria went through a political stalemate unprecedented since the fall of communism in 1989 before finding a compromise last summer.

Under Denkov’s government, this EU and NATO member country, but divided and historically close to Moscow, made a pro-European turn, especially regarding the war in Ukraine.

Thus, he decided to send missiles, armored vehicles and ammunition to Kyiv, which differed from previous interim governments.

Seeking to fight endemic corruption, he opened the door to the Schengen area of ​​free movement, the first step of which is planned to take place on March 31 with the abolition of controls at the EU’s internal air and sea borders. And it hopes to get an agreement on the land route by the end of 2024.

This new crisis, however, could compromise those efforts and jeopardize Bulgaria’s ambitions to join the eurozone in 2025.