Eurasia Press & News
Sofia – The leader of Bulgaria’s far-right Ataka party, Volen Siderov, says he believed there was nothing in the way of his cooperation with the GERB party of Sofia’s Mayor.
Speaking to Bulgaria’s bTV television channel, Siderov also pointed out that by the beginning of 2009 it would be clear which political parties were likely to form coalitions before or after the regular parliamentary elections to be held in June 2009.
The nationalist leader stated that, even though GERB was believed to be the most popular Bulgarian political party, it obviously did not have the potential to secure a government mandate on its own.
As a result, Siderov said he was open to negotiations with GERB and its leader, the Mayor of Sofia, Boyko Borisov.
Last week, in a statement set to ratchet up the tensions ahead of the elections, Borisov took a direct swipe at the ethnic Turkish party, The Movement for Rights and Freedoms, which is one of the three parties in the current ruling coalition.
He said the only way the main ethnic Turk party can retain power is to stoke terrorism and inter-ethnic conflict in the country.
Siderov appeared to agree with this statement in Monday’s interview, claiming the the Movement for Rights and Freedoms leader, Ahmed Dogan was deliberately raising ethnic tensions in order to secure more support from ethnic Turk voters.
Borisov and Siderov have had a number of meetings in recent months, and have supported common opposition initiatives.
Opinion polls in recent weeks have indicated strong and growing support for Borisov’s party.
