site.btaPolina Karastoyanova Heads Parliamentary Culture and Media Committee

Polina Karastoyanova Heads Parliamentary Culture and Media Committee

Sofia, December 12 (BTA) - Polina Karastoyanova, nominated by
the Patriotic Front, was elected Chairperson of the Culture and
Media Committee by a vote of 91-19, with 12 abstentions. She is
replacing Slavi Binev.

Binev, who is also a member of the Patriotic Front, quit his
post amid protests by cultural figures and media earlier this
week.

The MPs who voted against Karastoyanova's nomination were mainly
from BSP-Left Bulgaria, while most MPs of the Movement for
Rights and Freedoms abstained.

The Reformist Bloc and the Patriotic Front backed her en bloc.

Peter Slavov (Reformist Bloc) said the MPs of his parliamentary
group would vote according to their conscience, not because of
the nominee herself but because they had moved amendments to
Parliament's rules of procedure proposing to introduce a hearing
of nominees for certain positions, including committee
chairpersons.

Danail Kirilov (GERB), Chairman of the Legal Affairs Committee,
backed Slavov, but said that the amendment could not be applied
technically and legally at present. It could be invoked in the
future when there will be an election committee.