July 25 (BTA) - Meeting here on Sunday, the National
Council of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) authorized the
continuation of negotiations with the There Is Such a People
(TISP) party, BSP leader Kornelia Ninova told a news conference.
 The National Council's position on further negotiations on the
Left's support for a TISP-proposed government was adopted with
120 votes in favour and 1 against. The BSP's coalition partners
also attended the meeting.

Ninova specified that under the adopted position, the
negotiations can be broadened to include Democratic Bulgaria and
 Rise Up BG! Here We Come! and can be finalized with an
agreement on support for the new government. In her words, this
document will be based on policies and will be the result of the
 negotiations; it will not be a coalition agreement but a
bilateral agreement with TISP on support outlining what has been
 agreed on during the negotiations.

The BSP's final decision on whether it will support TISP's draft
 cabinet or not, will be taken at another meeting of the
National Council once TISP presents its government line-up and
priorities, Ninova underscored.

There are five priorities that the BSP wants to see in the new
government's policies: social policy (the fight against
inequality and poverty, higher incomes, including recalculation
of pensions, a policy on young people and workers); a healthcare
 reform; education, science and culture; counter-corruption and
a quality judicial reform; and economic recovery.

The BSP National Council does not accept the following ideas:
the application of a liberal governance model, where the State
would withdraw as the main regulator and holder of assets of key
 importance for national security (particularly the
privatization of Bulgarian Development Bank and the introduction
 of concessions on roads); and allowing the Republic of North
Macedonia to begin accession negotiations with the EU if that is
 at the expense of Bulgaria's national interest and history.
    
The BSP Executive Bureau now has to form expert groups which to
start working with the other three parties' experts.

Commenting on the protesters gathered in front of the BSP
headquarters at the start of the National Council's meeting to
demand her resignation, Ninova said that these 60 people, led by
 Socialists Kiril Dobrev, Kaloyan Pargov and Vessela Lecheva,
show the power of the party's internal opposition: 60 out of the
 BSP's 82,000 members. "They do not have the right to demand my
resignation as they have not elected me," the Socialist leader
noted.

The National Council's meeting continues.

RI/DS