PM Scenario for Bulgaria's Stanishev 'Not Ruled Out'

A development in which Bulgarian socialists' leader Sergey Stanishev assumes the office of Prime Minister should not be ruled out, a BSP Executive Bureau member said.

Borislav Gutsanov told private channel TV7 on Monday that decisions are yet to be taken by the leadership of Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) on Saturday, when the socialists are due to hold a plenary session in the capital Sofia.

He pointed cabinet reshuffle as "necessary" and stressed the need for a clear declaration of the BSP's dominant role in the government.

Socialists formed a coalition with the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) after early elections last may, two months ahead of schedule.

No official coalition agreement was sealed, and the BSP argues it is leading the coalition, but according to its own Executive Bureau members' words, many among its traditional voters do not see their presence in cabinet as strong enough.

On Tuesday the BSP's Bureau is also to conduct an analysis on the situation within the party after the bad defeat it suffered at the European elections on May 25.

Many of the prominent socialist figures have called for leadership changes. Borislav Gutsanov, who will attend the meeting, however ruled out Stanishev's resignation as an option.

Gutsanov's comments on a potential "PM scenario" for Stanishev come a day after claims emerged in Bulgarian media that Stanishev might have had his mind set to the office and his decision depended on election results.