site.btaMP Allegedly Assaults CC-DB Assistants in Parliament Lobby

Speaking to reporters in the Parliament’s lobby on Thursday, Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) Co-Floor Leader Nikolay Denkov said that two of the coalition’s assistants were attacked by a member of Parliament in the National Assembly’s lobby following Wednesday’s meeting of the Parliamentary Budget and Finance Committee, at which the draft budgets for the Public Social Insurance and the National Health Insurance Fund for 2026 were adopted at second reading.

“There is a medical certificate showing minor bodily harm. We will file a report with the prosecution,” Denkov explained, showing the document and adding that he expects the MP’s parliamentary immunity to be lifted so that he can be held accountable.

Kaloyan Darvov, an assistant with the CC-DB parliamentary group, said that after the Budget Committee sitting, Hamid Hamid from the MRF – New Beginning was aggressive toward him and another man, who is also a CC-DB assistant.

“Hamid Hamid came out, grabbed a coat hanger, and began pushing the other young man against the wall,” Darvov said, noting that the deputy may have been provoked by the fact that they were filming him. “After that, he turned his aggression toward me – punching me in the face,” Darvov added. He emphasized that they did not provoke Hamid deliberately.

Darvov also showed a video clip from the corridor outside the Budget Committee chamber.

Nikolay Denkov stressed that assistants have the right to film in the Parliament’s lobby and that the situation is “an extraordinary one”. He added that the approach should be social, not aggressive.

Regarding the protests against the 2026 State Budget Bill that took place in Sofia on Wednesday, as well as earlier remarks by Tsoncho Ganev in Parliament, Denkov said the protests are not about the euro adoption but concern the government’s and ruling parties’ approach. “Vazrazhdane can shout out their own calls, but we want a balanced budget without unnecessary spending,” Denkov said.