Today marks the second day of the inaugural session of the 50th National Assembly, after failing to elect a speaker yesterday. Raya Nazaryan's candidacy garnered support from GERB, DPS, and Hristo Prodanov of BSP, totaling 116 votes initially. However, Prodanov voted "against" in the second round.
Consequently, Nazaryan currently has 115 confirmed votes, falling five short of the required majority for election. Nikolay Markov from "Greatness" did not take the oath as a deputy, making him ineligible to participate in the voting. He will be able to do so once the parliament is constitutionally established.
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Update: At the conclusion of the inaugural plenary session, the parliamentary groups of the 50th National Assembly have been officially established. Notably, Jevdet Chakarov from DPS and Atanas Atanasov from "We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria", along with Kiril Petkov and Asen Vassilev, did not assume vice-presidential roles.
Boyko Borissov leads the GERB parliamentary group, with vice-presidents including Temenuzka Petkova, Raya Nazaryan, Denitsa Sacheva, and Rumen Hristov.
Delyan Peevski heads the DPS group, supported by deputies Iskra Mihailov, Yordan Tsonev, Halil Letifov, Hamid Hamid, and Erten Anisova. Despite his leadership role in DPS, Chakarov retains his status as an ordinary deputy, a position unchanged from the previous parliament.
Nikolai Denkov chairs the "We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria" group, with vice-chairmen Bozhidar Bojanov, Lyudmila Ilieva, Stoyu Stoev, and Kalina Konstantinova.
Kostadin Kostadinov leads the "Revival" group, supported by vice-presidents Petar Petrov and Iskra Mihailova.
In the BSP group, Borislav Gutsanov assumes the role of chairman, with Ivan Ivanov serving as his deputy.
Toshko Yordanov remains at the helm of the "There Is Such a People" group, with Stanislav Balabanov appointed as his deputy.
Nikolay Markov assumes leadership of the "Greatness" group, supported by vice-chairmen Darin Georgiev and Georgi Kukov.
Update: Nikolay Markov, leader of the "Greatness" parliamentary group, revealed that representatives from three political entities contacted him before the start of the plenary session, urging him to back Raya Nazaryan and the government. Markov did not disclose the identities of these groups or individuals.
He stated that he faced blackmail involving compromising material related to himself and Mr. Mihailov, accompanied by a recorded conversation. Mihailov later confirmed that the recording was fabricated and not authentic.
Update: GERB leader Boyko Borissov expressed gratitude to the parliamentary group of "There Is Such a People" for their crucial support in electing Raya Nazaryan as Speaker of the Parliament. He acknowledged their responsibility and efforts, noting their pivotal role in enabling the start of the constitutional procedures.
Responding to inquiries about potential compromises with Slavi Trifonov's party in the event of a third mandate, Borissov indicated that such a gesture was not solicited and thus would not be reciprocated. He emphasized GERB's current focus solely on the first mandate, which he described as the only viable option at present.
During breaks in the meeting, Borissov mentioned that he dispatched Denitsa Sacheva and Temenuzka Petkova to engage with "We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria" in an attempt to persuade their support for Nazaryan. He expressed expectations for a positive response from them. A coalition representative confirmed the occurrence of this discussion during the meeting's recess.
Update:Nikolay Markov from "Greatness" was sworn in today after arriving late yesterday, necessitating intervention from parliament's quaestors to facilitate his oath-taking.
During today's formation of parliamentary groups, Markov was nominated as the leader of "Greatness", despite his delayed start as a deputy.
Update:Following the election of the parliament's speaker, MPs moved swiftly to appoint the deputy speakers. Raya Nazaryan's team of seven vice-presidents includes:
- Rositsa Kirova from GERB
- Yordan Tsonev representing DPS
- Atanas Atanasov from WCC-DB
- Tsoncho Ganev of "Revival"
- Dragomir Stoynev from BSP
- Andrey Chorbanov representing TISP
- Victoria Vassilev from "Greatness"
Update:In her inaugural address as Speaker of the Parliament, Raya Nazaryan emphasized the significance of today's vote in facilitating the smooth progress of political processes and ensuring the effective functioning of state power.
She underscored the responsibility of the members of the 50th National Assembly to work towards stabilizing political processes and meeting societal expectations for stability, security, and justice, regardless of their political affiliations.
Nazaryan pledged to uphold a dialogue-oriented and fair approach in her role as Speaker, emphasizing her commitment to adhering strictly to the Rules of Procedure of the Parliament, the Constitution, and all relevant laws.
Update: After two recesses and extensive negotiations spanning two days, GERB, DPS, and "There Is Such a People" (TISP) succeeded in electing Raya Nazaryan as the speaker of the parliament.
She secured the position as first among equals with 131 votes in favor, 66 against, and 39 abstentions. Opposition came from "We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria" (WCC-DB), the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), "Greatness," and Kaloyan Metodiev. MPs from "Revival" and one from the coalition abstained.
Following the vote, Asen Vassilev addressed the parliament, stating that Slavi Trifonov's party had revealed its true intentions. "Congratulations on your 'rasping'," he remarked, recalling the initial motives behind "There Is Such a Nation's" entry into politics three years ago i.e. removing the "GERB model" from power.
Update: "There Is Such a People" (TISP) will provide the necessary five votes for the election of Raya Nazaryan, announced Toshko Yordanov. Addressing the parliament, he stated that his party will support all candidates to initiate the work of the National Assembly.
Yordanov also declared that TISP will not endorse a government formed by GERB and DPS, criticizing it as "political maneuvering." He urged "We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria" (WCC-DB) to join in rejecting such a coalition. In response, Nikolai Denkov accused TISP of attempting to conceal its alliance agenda.
Earlier, four candidates were proposed for the role of speaker, with TISP nominating Silvi Kirilov. GERB reaffirmed Raya Nazaryan as their candidate, while "Revival" put forward Petar Petrov, continuing from the previous day. "Greatness" nominated Viktoria Vasileva.
Update: The leader of "Revival" acknowledged that the smallest political group in parliament, "Greatness," is expected to endorse Raya Nazaryan's bid for Speaker of Parliament. He warned that such a move would constitute "political betrayal."
Speaking at the National Assembly, Kostadin Kostadinov described the failure to reach consensus on electing a president as a crisis in the Bulgarian political system. He remarked that current events suggest turmoil, questioning whether another political betrayal is imminent. He added that the unfolding developments promise an intriguing day ahead.
Update: The attempt by GERB to secure sufficient backing for Raya Nazaryan's election as Speaker of Parliament fell short, prompting Alexander Nenkov to request a second one-hour recess during the session.
During his address, the GERB deputy suggested that efforts to garner support were ongoing, expressing hope for a definitive outcome within the next hour.
Silvi Kirilov declared that nominations would be initiated in 25 minutes, emphasizing that procedural rules would not be reconsidered a second time.
