site.btaParliament Fails to Convene for Third Consecutive Day Due to Lack of Quorum

For the third consecutive day, the National Assembly failed to hold a sitting after MPs once again did not reach the required quorum of 121 to begin work. Only 53 MPs registered in the plenary hall on Friday morning.

“53 MPs have registered, there is no quorum. The next regular plenary sitting will be held at 9:00 a.m. on October 22,” announced National Assembly Chair Nataliya Kiselova.

During the only attempt to form a quorum, registration included 29 MPs from Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria, two from BSP – United Left, 11 from Alliance for Rights and Freedoms, and 11 from Moral, Unity, Honour (MECh).

On Wednesday, only 61 MPs registered, while on Thursday, that number reached 71. Absent were MPs from GERB–UDF, MRF – New Beginning, There Is Such a People, and independent MPs. Members of Vazrazhdane were present but deliberately did not register, preventing the sitting from starting.

The political stalemate unfolded following a statement of GERB Chair Boyko Borissov, who spoke to members of the GERB-UDF parliamentary group and Prime Minister and GERB member Rosen Zhelyazkov on Tuesday, saying that his party would no longer help ensure a quorum in Parliament, casting doubt on whether GERB would remain part of the governing majority.

Following Borissov’s remarks, Prime Minister and GERB member Rosen Zhelyazkov cancelled the regular Council of Ministers meeting scheduled for Wednesday, while MRF–New Beginning Floor Leader Delyan Peevski declared that he would support Borissov’s nomination for National Assembly Chair and that his party was ready to assume its share of responsibility for Bulgaria’s governance. MRF–New Beginning is not part of the current ruling coalition, which includes GERB–UDF, the BSP-United Left coalition, and There Is Such a People.

Deputy PM and Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) Chair Atanas Zafirov said on Thursday that his party is ready for talks with government partners at the initiative of the mandate holder, but these discussions and any decisions cannot come at any cost.