Bulgaria Looks to Presidential Republic to Cure its Ills

Zhleyu Zhelev, Bulgaria's president from 1990 till 1997, has for years on end pressed for more power to be wielded by the president. Photo by BGNES

Zhelyu Zhelev, Bulgaria's first democratically elected president, is continuing his crusade for turning the country into a presidential republic, saying recently elected prime minister Boyko Borisov is the fittest to do so.

"Our failure to make Bulgaria a presidential republic in the first years after the fall of the communist regime is to be blamed for the economic disaster that came in the 90s," he told the morning broadcast of the private TV channel BTV on Friday.

Zhelev, Bulgaria's president from 1990 till 1997, who has for years on end pressed for more power to be wielded by the president, said the parliamentary form of government is a good excuse for grave irresponsibility.

According to him the former Socialist-led ruling coalition was a must in terms of Bulgaria's accession to the European Union, but a huge compromise in the two years after the entry into the bloc.

"The three-party coalition had to be formed in order for Bulgaria to accede to the European Union but it had to stay in office until then only," Zhelev said.

Surveys show that turning Bulgaria into a presidential republic enjoys the support of the local electorate.

Under current constitution Bulgaria has to convene Grant National Assembly in order to change its form of governing.

With 116 MP seats claimed in July 5 vote, the center-right GERB party of Boyko Borisov is just six seats short of holding a majority in the 240-seat unicameral parliament.

The share-out of MP seats in Bulgaria's new parliament makes it possible for GERB to enter a wide range of informal alliances to achieve outright majority, relying on the support of the right-wing Blue coalition (15 MPs), nationalists Ataka (21) and the conservative Order, Law and Justice (10).

Together the four formation can achieve even constitutional majority, making it possible to pass amendments to the constitution.

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