The most senior member of Parliament Mika Zaykova from “There is Such a People” party (ITN) is expected to open and preside over the first sitting of the 46^th National Assembly. Three months ago, Zaykova opened the first sitting of the 45^th Parliament, which receded into history after only 25 days of work.

The first sitting of this country’s new National Assembly will take place in the old Parliament House. The south entrance of the building overarches the motto “United We Stand Strong”. The new MPs will take an oath and elect a Speaker and Deputy Speakers of the 46^th National Assembly. Iva Miteva from ITN, who served as Speaker of the 45^th National Assembly, is expected to be nominated for the position of National Assembly Speaker again. The second biggest Parliamentary group GERB-SDS is unlikely to nominate an MP for the position of National Assembly Speaker and this third biggest group BSP for Bulgaria will take a decision in the last moment.

Bulgaria’s caretaker Minister Yanaki Stoilov submitted to the Supreme Judicial Council a request for opening a procedure for early termination of the powers of Bulgaria’s Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev. That is why, we are to submit a proposal during the first sitting of the new Parliament to hear two ministers- the caretaker Minister of Interior Boyko Rashkov and this country’s caretaker Minister of Justice Yanaki Stoilov, announced MP Nikolay Hadzhigenov from “Stand up! Thugs out” coalition. 

However, the most important task of the new MPs is to form a government.

According to the legal procedure, this country’s head of state initiates political consultations and later hands in a government-forming mandate to the political force, which placed first at the general elections – “There is Such a People” party. The party headed by Slavi Trifonov will have one week to form a cabinet. If this party fails to do so, the second government-forming mandate will go to the political force that placed second at the early general elections – the coalition GERB-SDS. If they also fail to form a cabinet, Bulgaria’s President has the right to hand in the third government-forming mandate to a parliamentary group of his choice.

With a quorum of 121 MPs, only 61 MPs are enough to elect a new Prime Minister and a cabinet. “There is Such a People” party has 65 seats in the 46^th National Assembly, the coalition GERB-SDS has 63 seats, the coalition BSP for Bulgaria has 36 seats, Democratic Bulgaria coalition – 34 seats, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms party – 29 seats and “Stand up! Thugs out” coalition – 13 seats.

English version: Kostadin Atanasov

Photos: library