site.btaContinue the Change Accuses Progressive Bulgaria of Curbing Opposition Rights

Continue the Change (CC) on Tuesday accused Progressive Bulgaria (PB) of seeking to restrict opposition rights through proposed amendments to the National Assembly’s rules of procedure, saying not even GERB leader Boyko Borissov or MRF Chair Delyan Peevski had gone that far.

“On the first day of this National Assembly, Anton Kutev said he would restore parliamentarism as PB understands it. Last night, PB’s proposals showed us what that means. First, the opposition’s access to information from public authorities, ministries, agencies and local government is being curtailed. Second, ministers and other officials would no longer be obliged to answer to the National Assembly. Third, the opposition would lose the ability to put its own items on the agenda,” CC floor leader Nikolay Denkov said.

“I am sure someone advised our PB colleagues to table these misguided proposals, and I suggest we sit down together and discuss what is reasonable, because the National Assembly needs both a governing majority and an opposition,” Denkov said.

“The National Assembly would be stripped of its second most important function after lawmaking, namely oversight of the government. We cannot accept that. This is an abuse of the rules, just as There Is Such a People did, to block basic rights,” he said.

“Barring an MP from accessing documents does not serve any majority. MPs and citizens will not know the agenda Parliament is working on,” CC’s Stoyu Stoev said.

Asked about the state of the public finances and the measures planned in the 2026 budget procedure, presented on Monday by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Galab Donev, Denkov said it would be a mistake to comment on general intentions before seeing the specific texts.

“We have coordinated action with Democratic Bulgaria (DB) on all major political issues. Whether this is set down in a document is less important than trust. We already have a joint candidate for Sredets borough,” Denkov said.