Politics of Bulgaria

Today's plenary session has been canceled due to a lack of quorum as Bulgaria's opposition party GERB refused to register in Parliament.

A total of 95 MPs from Bulgaria's Socialist Party (BSP) and from the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) have attended Thursday's session. Parliament Speaker Mihail Mikov has scheduled the next hearing for Friday.

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?

Lyutvi Mestan, leader of liberal party Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS), has rejected the mandate to form a government.

DPS, the third biggest political party, declined the invitation of President Rosen Plevneliev on Wednesday.

The Bulgarian Socialist Party proposes that the Bulgarian Deposit Insurance Fund start repaying deposits of up to EUR100 000 two months after the suspension of activity of a bank.

Center-right opposition GERB has stepped back and has announced it is against the update of Bulgaria's state budget.

Leader Boyko Borisov has declared the party will not attend any more Parliament sessions until August 5, when the last meeting of lawmakers in the 42nd National Assembly is due to be held.

Bulgarian MPs are to convene for an emergency session on Tuesday afternoon to discuss budget amendment proposals.

Bulgarian lecturer prof. Georgi Bliznashki said on Monday he had given his consent "in principle" to join the caretaker cabinet due to be sworn in after August 6.

President Plevneliev will ask the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS), to form a new cabinet on July 30, local daily 24 Chasa reported, citing the President's press office.

DPS, the junior partner in the outgoing Socialist-Liberal coalition government, is the third largest political party represented in the 240-seat chamber.

Bulgarian socialists' Parliament chief said Monday it was "likely" that liberal Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) could decide not to return a mandate to form a government.

Mikov was elected at a party congress on Saturday to replace Sergei Stanishev, who resigned earlier this month after the party’s poor showing in European elections in May and the subsequent collapse of the Socialist-led coalition government of Prime Minister Plamen Oresharski.