Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Parliament votes in second reading to allow Bulgarians with dual citizenship to become MPs and ministers

Photo: БТА

MPs adopted amendments to the Constitution in the second of three readings. One of them limits the President's powers in choosing the composition of the caretaker government. The president will now have to appoint a prime minister from a list of people, and after criticism the head of the Supreme Court of Cassation was excluded from the list. The caretaker prime minister will therefore be chosen from among the speaker of the National Assembly, the governor or deputy governor of the Bulgarian National Bank, the president or deputy president of the National Audit Office and the ombudsman or his deputy. If all of the above refuse to take office, the caretaker cabinet will be elected by the National Assembly.
The majority in the National Assembly also approved other important changes to the country's Basic Law, allowing Bulgarian citizens who also hold another citizenship to be elected as ministers and MPs. A requirement of having lived in the country for 18 months will apply to MPs, but not to ministers. 
"Of all the EU countries, Bulgaria is the only one that does not give Bulgarian citizens this right. The time has come," argued Antoaneta Tsoneva of Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria (PP-DB). "They have drilled a huge hole in the national security system," said Atanas Zafirov of the opposition Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP). The opposition said that it would file a complaint against the constitutional changes.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Morning temperatures will be around zero, sunny and warm Saturday expected

On Saturday, the minimum temperatures in Bulgaria will be from minus 2 to 3°C. In Sofia it will be around 0°C. During the day it will be sunny with scattered high clouds.  Highs tomorrow will be between 14 and 19°C, in the capital - around 15°C...

published on 3/21/25 7:15 PM

Agriculture minister promises to protect farmers

“We are protecting farmers and the public interest. In drafting this bill we are guided solely by this aim,” said Minister of Agriculture and Food Georgi Tahov at a meeting with representatives of chain stores in this country and consumer..

published on 3/21/25 6:22 PM
Chief commissioner Lyubmir Nikolov

Two brothers apprehended for abducting two people

Two brothers, members of an organized crime group busted a few years ago, have been detained for abducting two men. The  kidnappers and the persons considered missing are thought to be connected with 160 kgs. of cocaine missing in Sofia...

published on 3/21/25 5:11 PM