Bulgaria's GERB Returns to Parliament over EU 'Pressure'

GERB leader and ex PM, Boyko Borisov, pledged to bring his group back to work in Bulgaria's Parliament. Photo by BGNES

Lawmakers from Bulgaria's previously-ruling and now in opposition center-right party GERB are in the Parliament to stay as "Brussels did not approve of their absence."

The explanation was given Thursday by the leader of the Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria party, GERB, and former Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov.

Borisov further stated he had made the decision because his party always took into account the opinion of their partners in Brussels.

"They did not see our absence from the Parliament in a positive light, and they found a diplomatic way to let me know that. I have always listened carefully to hints from Brussels because they give us financing, the EU finds; because these people give money from their taxes to Bulgarians. I hope the government will resign and there will be snap general elections. Only then we can have a functioning Parliament. The only thing I want from them is to at least not go on summer leave, but vote instead amendments to the Election Code. As I learned this morning, they are getting ready to vote on their break next week. We will stay here and vote, and we will vote against the break as well," said the former PM.

Borisov issued earlier an order to all GERB lawmakers to not attend any plenary hall sittings, except those focusing on Election Code amendments, but has obviously decided to backtrack on it under the pressure of the EU, as it emerged from his words Thursday.

According to earlier reports, however, many of the MPs themselves were "unhappy" about the decision as their absence led to significant pay cuts, while some have taken loans and others have moved their families to the capital after winning a parliamentary seat in the May 12 early elections.

They were held because Borisov and his GERB government resigned on February 21 amidst mass protest rallies against poverty, monopolies, corruption, and stagnation.

He won the elections by a very narrow margin and was unable to form a majority Cabinet or a coalition one with the other parliamentary-represented parties – the left-wing Bulgarian Socialist Party, BSP, the liberal, predominantly ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms, DPS, and the extremist, nationalist Ataka.

GERB returned to the Parliament for the first time since June on Tuesday. In the same evening, violent clashes occurred between riot police and anti-government protesters in Sofia, but the vast majority of observers do not see any direct connection.

Thursday marks day 42 in Bulgaria of protests against the Socialists-endorsed Cabinet of Prime Minister, Plamen Oresharski.

After the clashes Tuesday, the rally on day 41st (Wednesday) was once again peaceful.

The series of rallies was triggered by the appointment of notorious media mogul Delyan Peevski as Chair of the State Agency for National Security (DANS) back on June 14, but the protesters were not appeased by the subsequent cancellation of the decision and went on to demand the resignation of the cabinet over ties with oligarchs.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!