Kiril Petkov

Bulgaria's National Assembly has officially gone on Christmas vacation, with deputies taking a break from December 22 to January 5. This decision was approved by a vote of 211 in favor, one against, and nine abstentions.

Kiril Petkov, co-chairman of the political party "We Continue the Change" (WCC), has been summoned as a defendant in the case surrounding the arrest of Boyko Borissov, Vladislav Goranov, and Sevdelina Arnaudova. The summons, which was issued today at 5 p.m., marks Petkov's formal involvement in the case, which he has described as a "political attack" aimed at his party.

Delyan Peevski, the chairman of "DPS - New Beginning," stated that his party would take on the role of the opposition if a government is successfully formed. He expressed his support for early elections, emphasizing the need for a decisive winner.

GERB has invited three political formations—Democratic Bulgaria (DB), the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), and There Is Such a People (TISP)—to engage in "expert conversations" aimed at forming a government. The invitations were sent with a proposal for the meetings to take place at a mutually convenient time next week.

Kiril Petkov has officially submitted a waiver of his parliamentary immunity to the registry of the 51st National Assembly, a move confirmed by the press center of the parliament.

Representatives of "Democratic Bulgaria" (DB) and "We Continue the Change" (WCC) met with President Rumen Radev earlier today to discuss the formation of a new government. After the consultations, Kiril Petkov clarified that while the WCC-DB coalition shares a common goal of establishing a regular, pro-European, and anti-corruption government, their approaches differ slightly.

Acting Prosecutor General Borislav Sarafov has submitted a request to the 51st National Assembly to lift the parliamentary immunity of MP Kiril Petkov. The request, initiated by the Sofia City Prosecutor's Office (SGP), stems from an ongoing investigation into allegations that Petkov, during his tenure as Prime Minister, exceeded his authority.

An unprecedented tenth attempt to elect a speaker for Bulgaria's 51st National Assembly is set to take place today, as the political deadlock continues. The first session of the Assembly began on November 11, but MPs have been unable to agree on a leader.

In recent months, Bulgarian politics have been marked by tension and instability, fueled by the deepening rifts between key political figures and parties. These divisions center around the so-called "Peevski model," a reference to the influence of controversial political figure Delyan Peevski, who has been a polarizing presence in the country's political arena.

A divine liturgy for St. Andrew, the founder of the Orthodox Church, was celebrated on Nov. 30 at the Fener Greek Patriate in Istanbul.

Held at the historic Aya Yorgi Patriarchal Church in the Fatih district, the service featured scripture readings, hymns and congregants lighting candles in prayer.