site.bta Parliament Leader Tsacheva Takes Leave to Go into Election Campaign

Parliament Leader Tsacheva Takes Leave to Go into Election Campaign

Sofia, October 5 (BTA) - Parliament Chair Tsetska Tsacheva announced Wednesday to the parliamentary leadership that she is taking a leave to join the presidential campaign as the candidate of the ruling GERB party for the November 6 elections. She has delegated her powers to her deputy Dimiter Glavchev.

She will remain on leave until the results from the presidential elections are announced.

Tsacheva and her running mate Plamen Manoushev believe that remaining in Parliament while campaigning will put the other presidential candidates in disadvantageous position.

They will return to Parliament when there is a major vote to be taken.

By the Bulgarian law, the MPs - just like the Prime Minister, his deputies, the President and Vice President - do not discontinue their powers to go into election campaigns but are not required to take a leave either, Tsacheva explained. She added that members of Parliament are not allowed to take unpaid leave.

While she is away, Tsacheva will continue to be paid her wage but she will donate the money to a charity.

Krassimir Karakachavnov and Yavor Notev, both of them MPs in the nationalist group, are in an identical position. They, too, will be taking a leave and will donate their wages to a social cause of their choice.