Host: Mr. Wilfried Martens, President of the European People’s Party. I am delighted to greet Mr. Martens in the bTV air and tell him that Bulgaria is expecting its new government. It will be a rightist government and a government of the European People’s Party with Boyko Borisov as Prime Minister. Good morning, Mr. Martens. What would you say to your friends from the rightist parties in Bulgaria minutes before the voting of the new government in Parliament?
Wilfried Martens: Good morning. Prime Minister Borisov has committed himself to restore the European Union’s trust in Bulgaria. He has committed himself to do this by overcoming, by fighting corruption and organized crime and by establishing order and a government of law and justice. This priority of restoring the European Union’s trust and establishing a government of law in Bulgaria is of crucial importance.

Host: Do you perceive a problem in the reluctance of the two EPP members – United Democratic Forces and Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria to back up the new government? They expected to be invited as coalition partners, which did not happen – do you think this a problem?
Wilfried Martens: No. This is not a problem with us. Borisov has chosen to form a government with his own party only – this is his right and we respect it. We do not interfere in such situations where a certain political party has the right of sovereign political decision. We wish success to the Bulgarian government in solving these difficult tasks related to the economic problems Bulgaria is experiencing.

Host: What is your advice to the other member-parties of the European People’s Party UDF and DSB with regard to their approach in Parliament and should they be part of the ruling majority or should they become opposition?
Wilfried Martens: I think that at the present moment it is extremely important for statesmanlike and social considerations to support the government of Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria, to support Mr. Borisov, to work for the restoring of the trust of the European Union’s confidence and solving the problems in the sphere of economy and social policy. EPP and the member-parties support Mr. Borisov in the important actions he is about to undertake.

Host: Is it a good thing that conditionally Boyko Borisov may rely on a constitutional majority, backed by the Bulgarian nationalists and the Bulgarian conservators that are a member of the European Conservative Party, apart from the EPP?
Wilfried Martens: Like I said we hope that all Bulgarian rightist and centrist parties, which are members of the EPP will back up the Borisov cabinet. Those of course will not be part of a coalition, we have a homogenous undivided government of CEDB. We are on the opinion that in the current situation it is extremely important to back up the actions of the next government.

Host: Thank you very much, Mr. Martens.