site.btaAs Parliament Lacks Quorum, MRF-New Beginning Floor Leader Says Legislature Will Work

Asked to comment the failure of the National Assembly to open its sitting for a second consecutive day on Thursday due to lack of quorum, Movement for Rights and Freedoms – New Beginning Floor Leader Delyan Peevski told journalists that there is no problem and Parliament will function.

Parliament Chair Nataliya Kiselova closed Thursday's sitting after two quorum checks showed not enough MPs were registered in the plenary hall.

According to Peevski, Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov, is not in Parliament, but there is a Deputy Prime Minister. “I hope that later today he [Zhekyazkov] will be in Pleven, together with the head of the National Water Board, Atanas Zafirov. We have enough deputy prime ministers, and together with the ministers, they should take turns staying in Pleven until the crisis is resolved," Peevski said.

The state of emergency in Pleven due to the long-running water crisis has been extended until October 1. Citizens in Pleven Region have staged repeated demonstrations over the past year against the water supply crisis. Protesters demand urgent replacement of the main water pipeline and restoration of supply, as well as transparency in the use of local water resources. The Municipal Council has held extended hearings with experts and citizens, but no lasting solution has yet been reached.

Commenting on GERB leader Boyko Borissov’s statement that Bulgaria currently has five prime ministers, Peevski said: "The country can have only one president, one prime minister and one parliament chair".

Asked what he discusses with government ministers, Peevski replied: "Whatever I want." On September 19, Peevski said that he talks to ministers every day and raises issues that people in the country bring to his attention.