site.btaParliament Holds Inaugural Meeting, Elects Iva Miteva as Its Leader

Sofia, July 21 (BTA) - The newly elected 46th National Assembly
held its inaugural sitting Wednesday. The MPs took the oath of
office and elected Iva Miteva of the There Is Such a People
(TISP) party as Parliament Chair.

President Rumen Radev, Vice President Iliana Iotova, caretaker
Prime Minister Stefan Yanev, cabinet members, other officials,
and foreign diplomats attended the proceedings, that were held
in the old Parliament building.

The sitting was presided by Mika Zaikova of TISP, the eldest MP,
 who urged the new legislature to work constructively for the
dream of the Bulgarian people: a prospering Bulgaria that is a
worthy member of the EU. She said that Bulgarians have voted for
 change at the July 11 elections.

Iva Miteva was elected parliament leader on 137 votes with 99
abstentions. Miteva was supported by the parliamentary groups of
 TISP, Democratic Bulgaria, MRF and Rise Up BG! Here We Come!

BSP nominated Kristian Vigenin for the position, but he did not
garner enough votes in the plenary hall.
 
A strong parliament must have honest relations with the people
and constantly hold responsible the council of ministers for
their actions, Miteva said in her address from the parliamentary
 rostrum.

Staying true to universal human values such as freedom,
equality, justice, tolerance, we must make efforts to uphold the
 principles of the rule of law: lawfulness, legal security, no
arbitrary acts on the part of the executive power, independent
and effective judicial control, respect for basic human rights
and equality before the law, Miteva said.

The MPs elected six deputy chairs of the 46th National Assembly:
 Viktoria Vassileva of TISP, Rositsa Kirova of GERB-UDF,
Kristian Vigenin of BSP for Bulgaria, Atanas Atanasov of
Democratic Bulgaria, Mukaddes Nalbant of the Movement for Rights
 and Freedoms and Tatyana Doncheva of Rise Up BG! Here We Come!
 
After the first plenary sitting, the new Parliament Chair told
journalists that she will propose to the council of deputy
chairs and floor leaders that Parliament proceed without taking
summer recess. Miteva argued that given the long period this
country has had without a working Parliament, it wouldn't be
right for the MPs to go on holiday.

According to its rule of procedure, the National Assembly should
 be in summer recess August 1-31.
   
Asked about the mixed support she received to become Parliament
Chair, Miteva said that the votes were fewer this time around,
as the BSP abstained, but she was glad that no one was against
her candidacy or her personality.

Miteva said the life span of this Parliament will be determined
by the level of dialogue among the parliamentary groups.
 
Asked whether she expects support for a government and possible
revisions of the parliamentary rules of procedure, Miteva said
that the Constitution requires for all legislative acts to be
adopted by Parliament with at least 121 MPs present and a
majority of 61 voting in favour, "so there is no way around it".
 As for the future government, support for it must be clear
before the vote, she said.

Miteva added that she will try to find support for a new
government as much as her position allows it.

She said she summoned the council of floor leaders and deputy
chairs of Parliament immediately after the inaugural sitting to
discuss a range of topics, including the legislative activity of
 the new Parliament. NV/MT