site.btaNew Bulgarian Parliament Holds Inaugural Sitting

114 POLITICS - PARLIAMENT - START

New Bulgarian Parliament
Holds Inaugural
Sitting


Sofia, October 27 (BTA) - The oldest MP in the new Bulgarian
Parliament, Stefan Danailov, rang the bell to open the inaugural
sitting of the 43rd National Assembly on Monday and led the
members in taking the oath of office.

Danailov urged the MPs to work for unity "because nothing is
more important than the welbeing of the nation and joint efforts
are the only way to go there". He said that the principles of
democracy are being overlooked and urgent steps need to be taken
towards national salvation.

The guests of honour at the inaugural sitting included Prime
Minister Georgi Bliznashki, Patriarch Neophyte of the Bulgarian
Orthodox Church, the Chief Mufti of Bulgarian Muslims, Mustafa
Haji, Members of the European Parliament and Diplomats.

President's Address

"Bulgaria does not need messiahs who decide single-handedly what
is right and what is wrong, there is no magic formula to take
us to the road to prosperity without a concerted effort,"
President Rosen Plevneliev said, addressing Parliament and the
nation at the first sitting of the 43rd National Assembly.

"The solution is to work to the benefit of people, to respect
strictly the principles of the law-based State and the
separation of powers," the President pointed out.

"To restore trust in the institutions, parties and
parliamentarianism, we must publicly and responsibly deliver on
our promises. The people had its say by voting, now it's the
politicians' move," the head of State said. "Whether we like the
results or not, we must read them correctly and find the
solutions," he noted, adding that "the people want a functioning
State guaranteeing fairness, social protection and observance
of the rules by all."

"The campaign battles are over, we are now facing reality and
the difficult but important decisions that lie ahead,"
Plevneliev said. He hopes that the National Assembly will turn
into an institution "where political forces clash ideas and
arguments and leave behind them their personal and partisan
clashes".

"None of the steps important for the State can be taken without
a working Parliament," the President insisted. He added that
Bulgaria needs a working Parliament and a regular government.