site.btaUPDATED Progressive Bulgaria MP Mihaela Dotsova Elected as 52nd National Assembly Chair

Progressive Bulgaria MP Mihaela Dotsova was elected Parliament Chair during the inaugural sitting of the 52nd National Assembly here on Thursday. A total of 188 MPs from Progressive Bulgaria, GERB-UDF and the Movement for Rights and Freedom voted in favour of her nomination, 49 from Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria and Vazrazhdane abstained and there were no votes against. 

Vazrazhdane's nomination Peter Petrov received the support of 12 MPs, 175 voted against and 50 abstained.

"The challenge before us is to restore best practices in Bulgarian lawmaking, to make the process predictable rather than rushed, and to ensure it is based on debate rather than procedural formalism," Dotsova said in a speech from the parliamentary rostrum. She noted that legislation in parliament must be based on impact assessments, rather than being pieced together haphazardly.

"MPs must be guided in their legislative work by the sustainability of decisions, not by short-term political expediency. Today more than ever, Bulgaria needs not only sustainable governance but also the restoration of the rule of law," she emphasized.

"Once again, we are faced with the challenge of restoring and strengthening a lawful and independent state," Dotsova added.

Here is her biography, provided by her party: 

Dotsova was the top-of-the-list candidate of Progressive Bulgaria for Sofia's 23rd multi-member constituency.

She is 42 years old and a lawyer with extensive experience in government administration and in the legislative branch. Since 2017, her professional career has been linked to the Ministry of Environment and Water, where for more than seven years she headed the Legal Directorate. Within the Ministry, she also served as chief secretary and as head of the minister's cabinet.

She has worked as a lawyer in the administration of the National Assembly and the Sofia Regional Administration.

Dotsova holds a PhD in Administrative Law and Administrative Procedure. She is the author of more than 13 scientific publications and has taken part in numerous conferences on local self-government, electoral processes and environmental law. Her dissertation is devoted to the legality review of municipal council acts. She speaks English.