site.btaABV Will Not Back New Loan Agreement

ABV Will Not Back New Loan Agreement

Sofia, February 24 (BTA) - The parliamentary group of the ABV
party will not support the ratification of the agreement about a
 new 16,000 million leva loan. A decision to this end was taken
at a joint meeting of the party's Executive Council and
Parliamentary Group, ABV leader Georgi Purvanov said. Purvanov
(president in the 2002-2012 period) said that the group may
change its position only if the incumbents provided
substantiated arguments in favour of the ratification.

ABV believe that an additional debate on the funds needed to
cover existing debts is needed. According to ABV experts, the
amount is 9,000 million leva and not 12,000 million leva, as
alleged by the Finance Ministry. "The difference between 9,000
million and 12,000 million is considerable and we cannot accept
it," Purvanov stated. 

According to ABV Floor Leader Borislav Borissov, the Finance
Minister should openly specify the amount needed to cover the
existing debts because, otherwise, suspicious would arise about
a covert buffer that would be spent for unknown reasons.

According to Purvanov, if the Bill on the ratification is
withdrawn, the amount is reduced and the funds needed for
refinancing of existing debts - certified, ABV may be involved
in talks and, possibly, support it. Purvanov also said that they
 will withstand their position about the establishment of an
industrial fund in support of the business. "We want efficient
investments and not just expenditures," he observed.

Asked about the possibility to hold a referendum on election
rules, Purvanov said that at this stage ABV supports mandatory
vote as a temporary measure against vote buying. The party is in
 favour of e-voting but is doubtful about the readiness for its
introduction.