site.bta Slavi Trifonov Sets Next Parliament Ultimatum about Referendum Legislation

Slavi Trifonov Sets Next Parliament Ultimatum about Referendum Legislation

Sofia, January 30 (BTA) - In an open letter to the media, TV showman Slavi Trifonov demanded that the next Parliament adopt the results of the referendum initiated by his team: election of National Representatives by an absolute majority in a two-round majoritarian system; compulsory voting in elections and referendums; and reducing the annual state subsidy for political parties and coalitions to 1 lev per valid vote received at the last parliamentary elections from 11 leva now.

Early parliamentary elections were scheduled for March 26.

Trifonov wrote: "I give the new Parliament two weeks after it is convened to adopt the people's decisions at the referendum. If you do not address this matter in the first two weeks, I will turn up in front of the Parliament building at the beginning of the third week to demand my civil rights."

The deadline for adoption of the legislation is two months after Parliament starts work on them. "Two months is long enough to draw up and pass the legislation. If you fail to adopt it within that period and just go through the motions, I will turn up in front of the Parliament building once again to fight for my civil rights. I will do this alone. I do not know what the other 2.5 million Bulgarians who think like me will do," Trifonov wrote.

The envelopes in the ballot boxes counted at the November 6 referendum totalled 3,488,558. The minimum required to make the results mandatory is 3,500,585 (the number of voters who cast ballots at the parliamentary elections in 2014). The majority answered "yes" to all three questions.

The previous parliament could not pronounce on the referendum because Slavi's team challenged in court the decision of the Central Election Commission - that it is 12,027 votes short of becoming binding.

Legal opinion is divided on whether the next National Assembly must make a decision on the referendum.