The 43^rd National Assembly will remain in our post-transition history as the one with the greatest number of parliamentary represented political formations. It will also be the latest convened over the past 5 mandates – 22 days after the polls.

The new parliament of 8 will be convened on October 27. The date was set by President Rosen Plevneliev on Wednesday after political consultations, where most parties demanded October 20 – 22.

“I see this as a good date and I do want my reasons to be comprehended: there are many urgent tasks, but the main one is this parliament to kick off its activities with a flying start, with well-prepared decisions,” the head of state said. “After the forming of the parliament I will hand over a mandate for the forming of a government to the largest parliamentary represented political force. Before that I will hold the consultations, provided by the Constitution.”

The president informed on the discussions of the urgent parliamentary decisions at the meeting with the 8 parliamentary formations.

“Some of those include the preparation and adoption of the 2014 budget, the preparation of the 2015 one, guaranteeing the financial stability through the solving of the case with Corporate Commercial Bank,” he underlined. “There are many other urgent issues that we discussed. This is the urgent implementation of some European directives, including the one for guaranteeing the payment of the up to EUR 100,000 bank deposits, subject to insurance in the EU. There are also urgent measures in the energy sector.”

The president has appealed a declaration to be adopted for the priorities of this parliament at its start.

“I also called on for a declaration that should be adopted by the 43^rd National Assembly, when it starts its work, on a broad political consensus for reforms,” he went on to say. “Reforms cannot be postponed anymore. Those are more than clear: pensions, healthcare system, energy sector, an administrative reform… A continuation of the reform in the security sector, of the ones in the justice sphere... I think we have a total consensus on this continuation.”

Most of the politicians from the meeting agreed that there was no time to waste. Socialist leader Mikhail Mikhov:

“There is no time for a budget, there is no time for these necessary decisions, expected by the citizens. I requested from the president information on the actual state of the budget implementation, since everyone talks on updates. Next, I think the cabinet will have to bear the responsibility on an eventual update and also on the submission of the 2015 state budget law.”

Roumen Petkov from Alternative for Bulgarian Revival (ABV) declared that a delay of the parliament’s work shouldn’t be allowed:

“There are no good reasons for any delay,” he said. “We do insist on an assessment of the caretaker government, as it did a lot of damage with bad HR decisions and harmful strategic engagements for Bulgaria.”

Krassimir Karakachanov from the Patriotic Front and Bozhidar Lukarski from the Reformist Bloc also demanded a quick start of the parliament:

“It should in no way work as the previous one – empty halls and endless business trips. Of course, if the Movement for Rights and Freedoms endangers the ethnic peace the way it used to till now, may they continue to steal, my apologies”.

The nationalists from Ataka left the meeting in the very begging, after a refusal for direct media coverage of the consultations. Volen Siderov saw new behind-the-scenes arrangements of the presidential institution:

“They have already arranged it, GERB and the president – the parliament will start working later. Why is this? It is because they need time to setup the new government, obviously it is not ready yet. Also, their leader Borissov will go now for instructions to Brussels, also to the US embassy…”

The head of state welcomed the negotiations of GERB with the parliamentary represented parties for the good tone and constructive approach. Once again he assured that he would not work for the creation of any formats and coalitions within the presidential institution.

English version: Zhivko Stanchev