site.btaParties Set Diverging Agendas as Bulgarian Parliament Opens Autumn Session
At the opening of the autumn session of Bulgaria’s 51st National Assembly, the parliamentary groups outlined sharply contrasting political visions. From calls to defend democratic institutions and resist “state capture," to pledges of social justice, economic reform, and even boycotts of parliamentary work, party speakers laid out their priorities for the new political season.
The largest group in Parliament, GERB-UDF, reaffirmed its commitment to stable governance, urging trust in "predictable, stable, functioning institutions." Toma Bikov emphasized that the current government emerged after "a four‑year political crisis" and that recent attempts to "destroy GERB ended in an attempt to destroy parliamentary democracy itself." He asserted, "The only alternative to this governance is chaos, irresponsibility and deadlock witnessed between 2021 and 2025." Looking ahead, he pledged support for a smooth eurozone transition and the adoption of Bulgaria’s first euro‑based budget, while rejecting early elections as detached from reality.
Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria declared their intent to deploy a no‑confidence vote as an "institutional response to state capture and the compromised institutions." Nadejda Iordanova warned that a “corpulent figure" at the heart of the regime has turned the government into one driven by fear and greed. Denouncing the wave of rapid regulator appointments, Iordanova lamented that "corruption and crises cannot be extinguished with PR," adding that Bulgaria is now subject to "extraordinary administrative control, punitive regimes, and a state fist over business." She said her group will try to show that an alternative exists, and that its core lies in the power of the rule of law, security, a modern vision for development and prosperity based on competition and clear rules.
Vazrazhdane announced they would forgo most parliamentary activity to spend “another month among people," deeming that more effective than remaining in the "illegitimate" Parliament. Party leader Kostadin Kostadinov warned, “Bulgaria has little time to lose if we don’t want to become silent witnesses to our own demise." Criticizing the erosion of local agriculture and infrastructure, he lamented the rise of "anti‑Bulgarian mafioso elites". Kostadinov described how Bulgarian-made products have become rare in stores, lamenting that the food of Bulgarian origin has nearly vanished from the market. “Our roads have become the threshold of hell, we’ve become major exporters of talented children, youth, and gold—and in return, the number one importer of garbage in the EU," he said.
MRF-New Beginning pledged continued support for the government when it addresses "the problems of the people," while warning that destabilization attempts will meet their firm response. "The state must stand behind people affected by disasters, fires, and livestock disease — and also behind the socially vulnerable," Yordan Tsonev affirmed. Emphasizing the upcoming euro-based budget, he said his party would push for sufficient funding of local investment programs, socioeconomic stability, and job creation—especially ensuring young professionals stay in Bulgaria with adequate housing and salaries.
BSP‑United Left urged Parliament to prioritize action over obstruction. “Let this session be marked by work, not by blockades," declared Dragomir Stoynev, citing the need to restore trust and bring politics closer to citizens through "clear rules, transparency, accountability, and policies people can actually feel." He noted global challenges and endorsed Bulgaria’s role in shaping a “more secure, just, and united Europe." Emphasizing governance over partisan gains, he asserted, “The ruling majority must put the public interest, economic stability, and consumer protection first."
There Is Such a People (TISP) deputy floor leader Stanislav Balabanov said his party expects the fifth no-confidence vote against the Cabinet to fail, just like the previous four. He contrasted “meaningless talk" from the opposition with concrete results: protection of household electricity prices, fulfillment of EU recovery plan obligations, and efforts to attract major foreign investors. Other achievements he noted include free medication for children and a new administrative tool enabling faster service delivery via “tacit consent." In the new political season, the party will be pushing for the removal of so-called “dead souls" from voter rolls, the implementation of full machine voting with scanning devices, and changes to the Referendum Act that would lower thresholds for public participation.
The Alliance for Rights and Freedoms (ARF) declared itself a “corrective force to the government" and “an honest voice for citizens and municipalities that want freedom, not obedience." Floor leader Hayri Sadakov warned of deepening political and social inequality and a “parliament that increasingly resembles a battlefield for deals." He criticized the government’s energy and financial policies as chaotic and called for strong decentralization, industrial and tax reform, and genuine oversight of the judiciary. “We will not allow Bulgaria to be buried in political stagnation and cannibalism," he said.
MECh leader Radostin Vasilev said Bulgaria was in an “unprecedented political crisis and deadlock," claiming decisions were being made by shadow actors, not MPs. "There is no left or right anymore — only a choice between those who will finish us off, and those who will take back the state," he said. Vasilev called the ruling coalition a "national betrayal alliance" and predicted its collapse. "The Bulgarian people are waking up. Together we will restore the rule of law and reclaim our future," he added.
Ivelin Mihaylov, the leader of Velichie, demanded Parliament’s dissolution, calling the current legislature "an expensive show" and "the most illegitimate in history." Drawing parallels to Ceausescu’s Romania, he accused Bulgaria’s rulers of authoritarianism and failure. "This government was elected through the most rigged elections in Bulgaria’s history," he said. Highlighting unresolved issues such as water scarcity and economic decay, Mihaylov said laws were meaningless if unenforced and declared that his party would not participate in a "circus" where power is held by "those who see themselves as masters of the nation."
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