National Assembly

Bulgaria has emerged as a key contributor to Ukraine's defense efforts, providing substantial military aid amidst escalating tensions in the region. Outgoing Minister of Defense Todor Tagarev recently disclosed that over 7,000 tons of material resources, including millions of ammunition and over 140 machines, have been extended to Ukraine in support of its security needs.

The session will move on to the 2nd item on the agenda, the election of the President of the National Assembly.

The commencement of the plenary session saw Rosen Zhelyazkov, the Chairman of the National Assembly, offering warm greetings in honor of International Women's Day.

As the European elections loom, recent polling data suggests that five Bulgarian parties are poised to secure representation in the European Parliament, with a notable increase in support for three of them: "We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria" (WCC-DB), "Vazrazhdane" (Revival), and the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP).

According to data from the Institute for Social and Trade Union Research at the National Council of National Statistics, women in Bulgaria receive wages that are on average 12.6 % lower than men, but in several economic sectors, the differences are significantly more pronounced.

With over 40% of women aged 25 to 34 holding university degrees, compared to 28% of men.

As the 49th National Assembly gears up for the next phase of government formation, President Rumen Radev is scheduled to commence consultations with political parties on Monday. This crucial step marks the beginning of the process wherein the President will hand over the first exploratory mandate to form a government to a candidate nominated by the largest parliamentary group, GERB.

SNS will hold a session of the Presidency today at 5 p.m. The media report that it has already been agreed who will be the mandate holder for the composition of the government, and who will be the president of the Assembly.

The Bulgarian parliament has entered a crucial phase of political negotiations as it approved the resignation of the "Denkov" cabinet, signaling a transition into rotating the government. The move comes amidst ongoing discussions between the ruling formations GERB and "We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria" regarding the power dynamics for the next nine months.

In an unexpected move, Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov has tendered his resignation to the National Assembly, as confirmed by the press center of the Council of Ministers. This decision comes as a surprise, given the prior agreement with GERB, stipulating his resignation between March 6 and 9, marking nine months since his election to the prime ministerial post.

Bulgaria's potential to boost transit supplies of Azerbaijan's gas, catering to both Western Balkan countries and European regions along the south-north axis, was highlighted by the Speaker of the National Assembly during his meeting with President Ilham Aliyev in Baku.