site.btaUPDATED Nataliya Kiselova Steps Down as Parliament Chair

Nataliya Kiselova (BSP-United Left) has stepped down as Chair of the National Assembly. Opening Wednesday's sitting of the legislature, Kiselova said she had submitted a formal application to leave the post.

She said she was honoured to serve as parliament leader. 

"From BSP–United Left, we have proven that in moments critical for the State, we can rise to the height of the historical moment," said Kiselova in a statement before the members of Parliament, as quoted by BSP-United Left in a press release. 

"Today, I submitted a letter of resignation from my position as Chair of the National Assembly. In recent days, it has been said that in politics no one owes anything to anyone. On the contrary, we do owe — to the citizens who, a year ago, voted for all of us, and to those who, a year ago, chose not to exercise their right to vote," she said.

"Over the past five years, the political crisis has not subsided. We lack the skills for mutual respect, for consensus, for coalition culture. As a member of Parliament and as part of the BSP–United Left Parliamentary Group, we have proven that in moments critical for the State, we can be responsible and rise to the height of the historical moment". 

"Today I am stepping down, and in doing so, I am showing how one should act — with a sense of duty and responsibility toward parliamentary practice in conditions of shared governance. "It was an honour!," Kiselova concluded her address. 

Raya Nazaryan (GERB-UDF) took over the presiding role for the ongoing proceedings. 

On Tuesday, the government coalition of GERB-UDF, BSP-United Left and There Is Such a People decided that Nazaryan will replace Kiselova as Chair of the National Assembly. The Joint Governance Council of the three-party coalition decided earlier on Tuesday to introduce rotational chairmanship of parliament. GERB said on Facebook that the rotiation will take place every ten months.