Sofia, April 12 (BTA/GNA) – The new Bulgarian Parliament held its inaugural sitting Wednesday. It was elected in snap elections on April 2 that sent to the legislature six political groups: GERB-UDF with 69 MPs, Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) with 64, Vazrazhdane with 37, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) 36, the Socialists’ BSP for Bulgaria 23 and There Is Such a People with 11.
In a procedure that resembled the early days of the previous Parliament, the new MPs failed to elect a Parliament Chair on the first day.
The inaugural sitting was opened by the most senior MP, Vezhdi Rashidov of GERB-UDF. In his remarks, he told the MPs that during the election campaign he met many different people and what they had in common was uncertainty about their future and hope that things will change to the better. “I ask you today to show humility and accept compromise in the name of Bulgarian people,” he said.
The new MPs were addressed by President Rumen Radev who urged them to show humility and common sense, and embrace dialogue. He also told them that they are faced with a number of serious challenges, the most important of them being the adoption of a 2023 budget bill.
The MPs then took an oath to serve the Republic of Bulgaria, uphold the Constitution and the laws of the country and be guided by the interests of the people in all their actions. The anthems of Bulgaria and the European Union were played.
In their addresses to the new legislature, the political parties catalogued what they believe to be “the real problems” of Bulgarian people – and called for dialogue.
GERB-UDF’s Dessislava Atanassova stressed that with their votes people showed clearly that the political crisis cannot be solved by a single party or coalition alone, and that the only way out of the current situation is an agreement of all parties on the important issues and for restoring political dialogue. She said that anyone who does not understand that will lose voters and undermine the prospects of the country.
Speaking for Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria, Kiril Petkov listed eight priorities, including support for small and mid-sized farms, entry in Schengen and the eurozone, building infrastructure, adopting legislation against domestic violence. He said they will work on those constructively with the new government, if GERB-UDF manage to form one. If they fail, CC-DB will propose a government of their own.
Vazrazhdane leader Kostandin Kostadinov singled out five priorities, including “preserving financial independence”, staying out of the Ukraine war, renegotiating the relations with the EU, and said they are ready to discuss those with all political groups in Parliament. He also said that they won’t back any other government but their own.
Mustafa Karadayi of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, just like GERB, argued that voters showed, again, that no political party has as right to run the country on its own and that politicians should sit at the negotiating table and start talking to each other.
Socialist leader Kornelia Ninova said that the new legislature has several important tasks and the most important of those is adopting a new budget for 2023. She said that her group is not going to back a budget that increases taxes, freezes incomes and cuts down social payments.
Ivaylo Valchev of There Is Such a People said that his party will take “practical decisions and support any step that is to the benefit of Bulgarian people”. This group’s priorities are swift entry in Schenegen, completing the preparation for entry in the eurozone and adoption of the bills that are needed for the Recovery and Resilience Plan to start working in Bulgaria.
The inaugural sitting was also attended by Vice President Iliana Iotova, caretaker Prime Minister Galab Donev and members of the caretaker government, the Prosecutor General, representatives of the Constitutional Court, the judiciary, various state institutions, the diplomatic corps and the country’s registered religious denominations. Among the guests are also former Presidents and Parliament leaders.
BTA/GNA