BULGARIA: Bulgaria's former king, Simeon Saxe-Coburg, has scrapped efforts to form a new cabinet, leaving the Balkan nation with one last chance to create a coalition or face snap elections and the likely postponement of its bid to become an EU member in 2007.
Mr Saxe-Coburg's allies came second in a June 25th election behind the Socialists and the two parties have subsequently blocked each other's attempts to forge a broad alliance and push through reforms which are vital if Bulgaria is to join the EU on schedule.
But despite the deadlock, Mr Saxe-Coburg and Socialist leader Sergey Stanishev suggested yesterday that the two main parties had now declared something of a truce and would work together to create a rainbow coalition uniting the often-bitter enemies.
"The parliamentary group has decided not to exercise its right to name a prime ministerial candidate," said Anelia Mingova, a senior ally of Mr Saxe-Coburg, "but we express our willingness and readiness to take part in the coming negotiations."
Mr Saxe-Coburg - who as a boy king was exiled by the communists and spent most of his life in Spain - struck a similar note. "Europe would be happy to see a solid majority and a broad coalition," he said. "That would be a very good signal . . . and we will work for that."
The Socialists, who control 82 seats in the 240-member parliament, against 53 held by Mr Saxe-Coburg's party, also announced their willingness to negotiate.
"We are ready to start talks for a broad, four-party coalition," Mr Stanishev said. "Our country needs a stable, working and efficient government as soon as possible. We are ready by next Wednesday to have a government approved by the national assembly."
The Socialists envisage an alliance with Mr Saxe-Coburg's supporters, the small right-wing BNU party, and the mostly ethnic-Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedom, which came third in the elections.
President Georgi Parvanov must now grant a final seven-day mandate to form a new cabinet, probably to the MRF or BNU.
If that also ends in failure, early elections will be held and the autumn progress report from the EU is unlikely to be favourable to Bulgaria's stuttering bid to join in January 2007, with Romania.
