Bulgarian Socialist Chief Snubs GERB's 2nd No-Confidence Motion

The leader of the Bulgarian Socialist Party, BSP, and former Prime Minister, Sergey Stanishev, photo BGNES

The no-confidence vote against the government has been already "consumed" by GERB party (Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria) and the request to hold a second one on the same grounds is absurd.

The statement was made Thursday by the leader of the Bulgarian Socialist Party, BSP, and former Prime Minister, Sergey Stanishev.

Speaking for the media, Stanishev cited the Parliamentary Code under which the center-right GERB could table a no-confidence motion with the same motive in six months, not immediately as they did.

Earlier on Thursday, after the parliament sitting was declared open without a prior electronic registration, GERB leader Boyko Borisov threatened to refer the breach of the Parliament's rules of procedure to the Constitutional Court.

The plenary sitting started after a 30-minute break declared due to the lack of a quorum, despite the fact that the MPs of three parliamentary groups, GERB, BSP, and the ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) were in attendance.

The members of the fourth party in the Parliament - the nationalist Ataka are on a visit to Brussels.

BSP and DPS MPs debated the vote nevertheless in the absence if GERB as the latter left in outrage over the quorum being declared by a roll call and not electronic registration.

The remaining lawmakers scheduled the actual vote for Friday at 11 am.

Later GERB submitted a second no-confidence vote against the government on the same grounds - over the failed investment planning policy. They also officially demanded the resignation of Parliament Speaker Mihail Mikov over the breach of procedure through which he opened the sitting.

Under the Constitution, a new no-confidence motion over the same reason can not be tabled earlier than six months, but only if the Parliament rejects the first one i.e. an actual vote must be cast.

"GERB fled the debates on their own motion. When watching the behavior of their leader, Boyko Borisov, I get scared only thinking how he ruled the country as Prime Minister for four years. The quorum today was obvious for all in plenary hall, for TV cameras, for journalists– the quaestors counted 207 MPs. GERB are staging their next dog and pony show," said Stanishev.

Borisov and GERB are firm they would not take part in the vote Friday.

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