site.btaNational Assembly Chair Minchev: Our Goal is to Conduct Politics in a New way, the Right Way, Judicial Reform is a Priority

Sofia, December 4 (BTA) - The newly elected 47th National Assembly Chair, Nikola Minchev, outlined some priorities of the new parliament in a bTV interview on Saturday. Minchev stressed that the goal of the new Parliament is to conduct politics ''the right way'', not allowing the National Assembly to be merely an appendage of the executive branch.

Minchev cited judicial reform as a major priority, including changes in the anti-corruption commission, the Supreme Judicial Council, the closure of the specialized courts and the specialized prosecution service, for which the 46th National Assembly did not have time.

Minchev noted that there should be a debate on the president's draft of constitutional changes, but he must first submit them. He argued that the constitution itself is good, but changes can be made in the judiciary.

The National Assembly Chair also pointed out that the issue of replacing the Prosecutor General is very hot, but it requires more time and legal changes.

Minchev noted that the MP Christmas vacation may be shortened this year, as there are many urgent tasks, but that this has yet to be debated. On the matter of requring MPs to have a green certificate in order to enter the plenary hall, Minchev explained that the National Assembly building is not a public building in the general sense therefore not all provisions of the Minister of Health for access to public buildings apply. He acknowledged that it should be considered weather this interpretation is in line with the real situation, and shared that he himself has been vaccinated.

Minchev also said that a commission for changes in the parliamentary rules and regulations will be formed next week, but in general he considers the current ones to be sufficient. The National Assembly Chair is against the so-called political nomadism in the National Assembly - deputies from one parliamentary group moving to another. ''The regulations have not allowed this for at least 10 years and I think it will not be adjusted,'' he said.

Minchev explained that there will be a rotation of the deputy chairpersons on the parliamentary rostrum, because there are currently seven of them and their counters are only six.

Politics is not new venture in Nikola Minchev's family - his great-grandfather, Sirko Stanchev, was a member of the last two National Assemblies before September 9, was convicted by the People's Court and killed. ''I do not rely on this DNA to deal with this parliament,'' said Minchev.

He explained that he had received an invitation from Kiril Petkov to join Continue the Change and that the two had known each other for about six or seven years. DT//