Socialist parties

The Socialists will take part on a second round of consultations over forming a government coalition if GERB extended an invitation for meaningful political negotiations, Socialist leader Mihail Mikov said on Tuesday.

He, however, stopped short of indicating whether the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) is ready to make concessions and render support to GERB.

Trade union representatives at Bulgaria's Customs Agency have threatened protests unless their demands, including the termination of the merger with the National Revenue Agency (NRA), are discussed.

The centre-right GERB and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) will negotiate on Tuesday afternoon on the formation and support for new government.

At a press conference on Monday DPS leader Lyutvi Mestan said his party will offer unconditional support for a minority GERB government, but refused to support a government formed in coalition with far nationalist parties.

There is no way to form a minority government under the current circumstances in Bulgaria, conservative GERB's leader Boyko Borisov admitted, days after announcing intentions to form such a cabinet.

Maya Manolova, deputy speaker of the previous Parliament, of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), admitted the party result was bad and people had punished them.

She told Nova TV she was dissatisfied with the election result of BSP.

"Obviously all of us made a mistake," she said. "It is a fact the people punished us. The results are clear."

Election results have taught the BSP not to backtrack on a number of issues, MEP and key party member Iliana Iotova has said.

She has described Sunday's vote as a massive "nationalist backlash".

The Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) is trailing far behind conservative GERB, according to most exit polls just minutes after first exit poll results were made public.

A brief sketch on Georgi Bliznashki, the caretaker Prime Minister to assume office on Wednesday, and his recent activities.

Bliznashki: from High-Ranking Socialist Party Member to Civil Rights Activist

With several landmark books on parliamentary rule, the 57-year-old Georgi Bliznashki is the second professor to become PM in Bulgaria's most recent history.

President (2002-2011) Georgi Parvanov's Alternative for Bulgarian Revival (ABV) will not seek to form any alliance for the upcoming snap poll in 2014.

Trendafil Velichkov, a member of ABV's National Council, told the Bulgarian National Radio his organization was nevertheless ready for talks with "every political party, especially with parties to the left and center".

President Plevneliev will ask the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS), to form a new cabinet on July 30, local daily 24 Chasa reported, citing the President's press office.

DPS, the junior partner in the outgoing Socialist-Liberal coalition government, is the third largest political party represented in the 240-seat chamber.

The election of Mihail Mikov as head of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) will maintain the status quo at the party, political analysts told bTV channel on Monday.