site.btaNational Budget Update Favoured by GERB and MRF, Opposed by CfB

Sofia, July 25 (BTA) - Bulgaria's National Assembly (Parliament) on Friday resolved to hold an extraordinary plenary sitting on July 29 in order to consider possible updates of the national budget and the budget of the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF). The extraordinary sitting was proposed by Yordan Tsonev
of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF).

The parliamentary group of Coalition for Bulgaria (CfB) stayed out of the vote on the proposal as its members were opposed to revising the national budget.

CfB's Maya Manolova accused MRF, GERB and President Rosen Plevneliev of a "conspiracy" to update the national budget. "CfB has taken a clear stance. We are opposed to updating the national budget within the parameters suggested by the President," Manolova said. After her statement, the CfB group walked out of the debating chamber, but still there was a quorumto take a vote on the proposal for an extraordinary sitting.

Commenting on an address which President Plevneliev gave to Parliament earlier in the day, CfB Floor Leader Atanas Merdjanov said there is no reason to make substantial changes to the national budget right now. Merdjanov said Plevneliev's proposal to authorize the future caretaker government to incur external debt is an instance of double standards and there are no constitutional grounds for it. "We want to remind the President
that to dissolve Parliament does not mean to dissolve the system of parliamentary rule and replace it with a presidential system," he said.

Reacting to CfB's accusation that MRF is involved in a conspiracy with the President, MRF Deputy Floor Leader Yordan Tsonev said it is CfB that has betrayed the outgoing cabinet of Prime Minister Plamen Oresharski. Tsonev said MRF will support updates of the NHIF budget and the national budget, because the idea has been proposed by the outgoing government formed by CfB and MRF. "There is every reason to make such an update," Tsonev argued, adding that MRF will act to defend statehood.

GERB Chairman Boyko Borissov said CfB is opposed to updating the national budget because the update will serve the needs of the future caretaker government. Borissov noted that the caretaker government will be working for at least two or three months, and besides, no one knows what will happen in the elections. "Let
us adopt the budget [proposed by] your government," he appealed.

Borissov also demanded the resignation of Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) Governor Ivan Iskrov and Deputy Governor Tsvetan Gounev, and proposed that Iskrov be replaced by Kalin Hristov.

CfB's Merdjanov reacted by saying that Hristov would not solve the problem of the banking system, because he is part of the problem and bears just as much responsibility for it. Merdjanov described Hristov as "the ideologue of the bank holiday." "We want the whole BNB Governing Council replaced, including the presidential quota, but this should be carried out by the next National Assembly," Merdjanov said.