site.btaForced Name Change of Parliamentary Groups through Law Is Practically Second Revival Process - CC-DB Member Sabrutev

The forced change in the names of parliamentary group through law is practically a second Revival Process, Venko Sabrutev MP of Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) told journalists here on Thursday. He described that as "absolutely inadmissible," commenting on legislative changes adopted by the National Assembly earlier in the day regarding the names of parliamentary groups.

Sabrutev also said GERB leader Boyko Borissov should know that people are already calling his party GERB - New Beginning.

Under the newly adopted revisions to the Rules of Organization and Procedure of the National Assembly, a parliamentary group's name or abbreviation may no longer duplicate the name or abbreviation of another group, political party or coalition registered with the Central Election Commission (CEC) for participation in the most recent elections, including by the addition of words, letters, numbers or other symbols. The present 51st National Assembly includes two parliamentary groups using the Bulgarian abbreviation of "DPS": MRF - New Beginning, led by Delyan Peevski, and Democracy, Rights and Freedoms (DRF), which was formed by MPs loyal to MRF honorary chair Ahmed Dogan. The CEC accepted applications from both factions for the last parliamentary elections and both continue to claim ownership of the once-solid party of Movement for Rights and Freedoms (or DPS in Bulgarian).