Prime Minister Kiril Petkov faces tensions in his ruling coalition on two fronts. "Democratic Bulgaria" is expressing impatience with the government and is demanding concrete "results" in line with the agreement on which the coalition was built. Meanwhile, TISP is continuing to threaten to break the coalition if the veto over Northern Macedonia falls.
Today's other big event was the visit from His Holiness Pope Francis, the head of the Roman Catholic Church. During his meeting with Mr Petkov he described corruption as a "disease" and acknowledged its omnipresence, including in Bulgaria.
Prime Minister wants President Rumen Radev to convene a national security council for Northern Macedonia
Prime Minister Kiril Petkov called on President Rumen Radev to convene a National Security Advisory Council (NACC) over talks between Bulgaria and Northern Macedonia on the European future of Bulgaria's western neighbor. In a video message, he stressed that the Bulgarian government would not do anything without broad national consent and in accordance with the coalition agreement. Petkov added that representatives of all parties, all services and the President should take part in the eventual meeting of the NACC to debate the issue.
Radev questions if dialogue still thrives in the coalition
President Rumen Radev has asked to talk to Mr Petkov about his idea of convening the Council. He seems concerned that dialogue in the ruling coalition is broken and that some European countries have changed their position on North Macedonia.
The lifting of the veto against Northern Macedonia has led to disputes in the coalition. Recently there has been a flurry of statements by "There are such people" (TISP) about "unregulated attempts by Kiril Petkov and his advisers to circumvent the national interest," as party leader Slavi Trifonov wrote in a Facebook post. This is often repeated by his deputy in the party Toshko Yordanov.
Hotels and guest houses will continue to accept Ukrainian refugees
Hotels and guest houses that accept refugees will still receive subsidies if they want to continue providing rooms and food to them. From the end of June, however, they will receive 15 levs a day instead of the 40 levs they had received in May. The government had announced that it would be looking to move all the refugees to state-run holiday resorts but this idea appears to have been abandoned in favor of continuing the mixed state/private model.
Prime Minister Kiril Petkov faces tensions in his ruling coalition on two fronts. "Democratic Bulgaria" is expressing impatience with the government and is demanding concrete "results" in line with the agreement on which the coalition was built. Meanwhile, TISP is continuing to threaten to break the coalition if the veto over Northern Macedonia falls.
Today's other big event was the visit from His Holiness Pope Francis, the head of the Roman Catholic Church. During his meeting with Mr Petkov he described corruption as a "disease" and acknowledged its omnipresence, including in Bulgaria.
