Tensions Rise as Bulgarian Parliament Struggles to Elect Speaker for Fifth Time

Bulgarian MPs are set to attempt electing a speaker of parliament for the fifth time today, following repeated delays in the process since the constitution of the 51st National Assembly. The election of a leader for the parliament has been at a standstill, but Silvi Kirilov from the "There Is Such a People" (TISP) party has emerged as a potential consensus candidate, with support from several parliamentary groups.

During the initial session, Temenuzhka Petkova from the GERB party once again nominated Raya Nazaryan for the position, arguing that it was only fair for the Speaker to come from the leading political force. Meanwhile, Borislav Gutsanov of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) reaffirmed the candidacy of Assoc. Prof. Natalia Kiselova, and the "Revival" party reiterated their support for lawyer Petar Petrov. Kirilov was nominated by TISP MP Toshko Yordanov, who emphasized that electing him would open the door for talks on forming a regular government.

Tensions quickly escalated during the discussions, with Nadezhda Yordanova from WCC-DB criticizing GERB for their role in forming a government and a parliamentary majority. She expressed support for a majority that could "free Bulgaria from the leprosy of corruption," while Pavela Mitova from TISP questioned her reliance on GERB to form such a majority. Criticism continued from other factions, including the "Revival" party, who echoed similar concerns about GERB’s political strategy.

In the middle of the debate, GERB Chairman Boyko Borissov was seen drawing abstract figures on a white sheet of paper. Meanwhile, Stanislav Balabanov from TISP urged WCC-DB to support Kirilov's candidacy to avoid further deadlock, while stressing that the issue of appointing a new prime minister would be decided if new elections were necessary.

As tensions mounted, Elisaveta Belobradova of WCC-DB accused GERB of failing to form a government in the previous term and not distancing themselves from Delyan Peevski, which only fueled the heated exchanges. In response, Kirilov, who was chairing the meeting, called for more careful language from MPs to avoid further escalation.

After nearly two and a half hours of debate, Stanislav Balabanov moved to end the discussions and proceed to a vote, prompting Kirilov to announce a 30-minute break. During the break, Boyko Borissov made a remark, hinting that GERB already had a "guaranteed" Speaker for future elections, joking that the speaker would be someone born in 1930. He also criticized WCC-DB for establishing red lines before the elections were even concluded, questioning how they could expect meaningful dialogue under such circumstances.

Borissov stood firm in his support for Raya Nazaryan, saying it was unjust to withdraw a candidate who had received over 600,000 votes. He further argued that GERB had a formula for governing without certain parties and reiterated that the first political force in parliament bore responsibility. Despite his criticism, Borissov noted that had he not taken a step back, it was unclear which parties would have been able to govern effectively.

The situation remains tense as the parliament struggles to reach an agreement on its leadership, with many uncertainties surrounding the formation of a functioning government.