site.btaMinister Karakachanov, Socialist Leader Ninova Discuss Defence Expenditure, Legislative Changes

Sofia, May 8 (BTA) - Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Krassimir Karakachanov and Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) leader Kornelia Ninova met in Parliament on Tuesday afternoon at Karakachanov's suggestion to discuss defence expenditure and draft amendments to the Religious Denominations Act, the Deputy PM told reporters after the meeting.

On the topic of defence expenditure, Karakachanov said he had informed the Left wing about the Government's ambitions in this area, as well as about the three projects for modernizing the army's aviation and armoured equipment. There were differences on the matter at a meeting of the Consultative Council on National Security with the President two weeks ago, where the BSP said they would not support an increase of the defence expenditure to 2 per cent of GDP, Karakachanov noted. He added that his goal when it comes to the army's modernization is to have consensus in society, including between the parties in Parliament.

Karakachanov said that he and Ninova had also talked about draft amendments to the Religious Denominations Act that he is proposing. He commented that the draft revisions to the same law tabled in Parliament on May 4 by GERB, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) and the BSP were tabled hastily, without the United Patriots - a formation to which Karakachanov's party, the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization (IMRO), is a member - having been invited. In his words, these draft revisions correspond to "the MRF's preferences".

The draft amendments tabled on May 4 ban third countries from paying salaries of priests. According to Karakachanov, this is not enough: the foreign funding for religious activities and the construction of temples should also be limited. The bill he proposes envisages a much stricter control over Bulgarian nationals who have graduated in religious sciences abroad and practice these in this country; for example, the degree of such persons should be licenced before they could start preaching one religion or another, Karakachanov argued.
 
Asked whether Ninova had demanded his resignation, the Defence Minister said the topic of resignations was not raised.

Emerging from the meeting, the BSP leader told reporters that she had confirmed before Karakachanov two of her party's positions: that the BSP are ready to talk with everyone about national security, the demographic catastrophe, healthcare and education, and that the Government of Prime Minister Boyko Borissov is bad for Bulgaria and should resign.

In her word, Karakachanov had sought support for a new plan for the army modernization that requires a review of Parliament's decisions taken thus far. The Defence Minister proposes new deadlines for implementation of this modernization and a different means of funding: in installments until 2024. "However, there is obviously a contradiction here with the Finance Minister, because the three-year forecasting framework does not envisage such money," Ninova noted, adding that first the ministers should reach an agreement between themselves.
 
Ninova went on to say that Karakachanov's draft revisions to the Religious Denominations Act are broader than those already tabled. "We will familiarize ourselves with these draft provisions and we will come out with a reply, " she said. In her words, it is more logical for Parliament to debate on both bills simultaneously.
  
New Escalation of Tension among Partners in Power-sharing United Patriots Coalition because of Contacts with Socialists

The meeting scheduled for the early afternoon on Tuesday between IMRO leader Karakachanov, Deputy Prime Minister Valeri Simeonov, leader of the National Front for the Salvation of Bulgaria (NFSB), and BSP leader Ninova, triggered a new scandal in the parliamentary group of the power-sharing United Patriots. The IMRO, NFSB and Ataka make up the United Patriots which in turn are the junior partner with GERB in governance. Ataka leader Volen Siderov said on Tuesday morning, quoted in a press release of the party, that the meeting with Ninova "is not authorized by the United Patriots".

"In connection with the information that my coalition partners from IMRO and NFSB Karakachanov and Simeonov will meet BSP Chairperson Ninova, who is a political opponent of the ruling coalition, I state that as a floor leader of the United Patriots and creator of the United Patriots coalition, I have not authorized the persons in question to hold negotiations with any party outside the ruling coalition," Siderov said.

In his words, "any such acts harm the already established agreements for governing Bulgaria between Ataka, IMRO, NFSB and GERB". "Such acts are outside the resolutions of the coalition council of the United Patriots and therefore not legitimate," Siderov said.

Siderov cancelled a meeting of the parliamentary group of the United Patriots that was to be held on Tuesday expecting as he said "clarification of the positions of NFSB and IMRO in respect of the coalition policy".

Emerging from his meeting with Ninova, Karakachanov commented that Siderov had been misinformed about the meeting with the BSP leader, because the latter had been held in his role as Defence Minister, and not as leader of one of the parties within the United Patriots. In Karakachanov's words, he had informed Prime Minister Borissov about the meeting with Ninova.