Absences, Posters 'Mar' Bulgarian President's Oath of Office

MPs from the nationalist party "Ataka" raise banners stating "Plevneliev - Elected by Fraud" at the inauguration ceremony of the new Bulgarian President. Photo by BGNES

Angel Marin, Vice President during the two consecutive terms of Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov, was notably absent from the ceremony during which President-elect Rosen Plevneliev was sworn in.

Marin is currently in deep conflict with the ruling centrist-right GERB which endorsed Plevneliev. On Friday, he returned his highest state order, "Stara Planina" - 1st degree, as an act of protest against Prime Minister Boyko Borisov's comment that he did not really deserve it.

"In my view, Borisov is a disgrace for Bulgaria," Marin said on the occasion.

Ahmed Dogan, the controversial leader of the ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms party, was also among the key Bulgarian political figures absent from the ceremony.

Members of the oppositional far-right Ataka (Attack) party, including its leader Volen Siderov, showed up in the Parliament with posters reading "Plevneliev – "elected" with fraud."

They referred to the numerous reports of irregularities during the elections that took place in October.

The official ceremony for the inauguration of the new President of Bulgaria will be held on Sunday, January 22.

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