Maya Manolova

It emerged that a national referendum on the possible amendments to the electoral rules is likely to be held along with the local elections, which are scheduled to take place in Bulgaria in the autumn.

The idea is supported by all parties of the governing coalition, together with the oppositional Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) and nationalist Ataka, daily Sega reports.

Maya Manolova, deputy speaker of the previous Parliament, of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), admitted the party result was bad and people had punished them.

She told Nova TV she was dissatisfied with the election result of BSP.

"Obviously all of us made a mistake," she said. "It is a fact the people punished us. The results are clear."

Outgoing Deputy Parliament Speaker Maya Manolova has criticized Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev over his actions on appointing the caretaker government.

"Bulgaria is not a presidential republic," regardless of Plevneliev's desires, and will "perhaps never become one," Manolova said in an interview with private national channel bTV's breakfast show.

By leaving parliament GERB sabotaged the National Health Insurance Fund (NZOK) budget update deputy speaker of Parliament Maya Manolova told novinite.bg.

(with abridgments)

Mrs. Manolova, how would you comment the current situation in Parliament after today's decision of GERB not to participate in the remaining sessions?

The Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) is to elect its new leader at the 48th Congress of BSP on Sunday.

The congress starts at 11 am at the National Palace of Culture (NDK) in Sofia and the open part of it ends at 3 pm, according to reports of Darik radio.

A total of 29 nominees compete for the post of BSP Chair.

Georgi Kadiev, known for his usual criticism at decisions of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), has officially become a candidate to head the party.

Kadiev left Parliament and BSP's National Council in June, after a party session dedicated to poor results at the European Parliament elections this year.

Lawmaker Korneliya Ninova has said she is to place her bid for the presidency of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP).

The senior partner in Bulgaria's government (which is to resign later in July) is to choose its next leader after Sergey Stanishev, who has headed the party since 2000, announced he would step down.

Bulgaria's Deputy Parliament Speaker Maya Manolova reaffirmed that the early elections should be as soon as possible, but July would not be a reasonable option.

"The elections should take place as soon as possible. Technically though, they cannot be in July. It is not Stanishev, but the President who has to appoint the date", Manolova said, quoted by Standartnews.

The opposition party GERB submitted a no-confidence vote on Friday over the socialist-led government's energy policy.

Friday's motion is the fourth one by former Prime Minister Boyko Borisov's GERB since the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) came into power in May 2013.

Bulgarian lawmakers started work on Friday with a debate over opposition GERB's proposal that Deputy Parliament Speaker Maya Manolova resign.