site.btaVelichie Leader Mihaylov Criticizes Ruling Coalition's Arrogance

"We are witnessing outrageous arrogance from the ruling coalition, which includes [MRF-New Beginning leader] Delyan Peevski," said Velichie leader Ivelin Mihaylov.

Speaking in the corridors of Parliament, Mihaylov, who is also Velichie’s Floor Leader, accused the ruling majority of “exceptional arrogance”.

“While the chamber is set to debate whether to take away the cars of the President, the most representative institution of the Republic, we saw this morning how a small private army cordoned off the entire city centre and the National Assembly. People couldn’t get through – I was an hour late – simply because someone decided to seal off the area so that they could arrive comfortably with ambulances and buses,” Mihaylov said.

There was heavy police presence around the National Assembly's building after earlier in the day, MPs from Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria blocked the entrances to Parliament’s staff car park with their vehicles in order to prevent the cars of GERB leader Boyko Borissov and Delyan Peevski from entering. This was done to show support for Blagomir Kotsev, Mayor of Varna, and Nikola Barbutov, Deputy Mayor of Sofia, who have been in held in custody. 

MPs included on Parliament's agenda on Thursday first reading of amendments to the National Service for Protection (NSP) Act, tabled by Kalin Stoyanov of the MRF-New Beginning Parliamentary Group. The changes would strip the NSP of its role in providing transport for the President’s administration. Earlier this week, President Rumen Radev commented that the Presidency was the only state institution without a transport fleet.

Mihaylov also claimed that Delyan Peevski had called him a “mouse” when the two passed each other in Parliament’s corridors, describing it as unacceptable behaviour for a politician and a man. “Why does he need bodyguards in the National Assembly?” Mihaylov asked.

Turning to local politics, Mihaylov alleged that after Blagomir Kotsev became Mayor of Varna, the local mafia forced members of the Roma community to sift through rubbish bins daily. “When you are facing an organised mafia and there is no police to protect you, because they serve GERB and MRF, this Mayor is left with nothing,” he added.