site.btaPresident Radev Challenges Setting Up of Ad Hoc Committee to Review Draft Constitution

Sofia, October 13 (BTA) - President Rumen Radev has referred to
the Constitutional Court an October 2 resolution of Parliament
to set up an ad hoc committee to review the draft of a new
constitution of Bulgaria, Radev's press secretariat said on
Tuesday.

The President stated that once submitted, a draft constitution
can be changed only by a Grand National Assembly (GNA). The
present National Assembly can only debate whether a GNA should
be convened or not. A GNA is the only body authorized to adopt a
 new constitution. The October 2 resolution exceeds the
constitutional competence of the National Assembly and violates
the principle of the rule of law, said Radev.

The ad hoc committee has ten members instead of 18 as originally
 approved after BSP for Bulgaria and the Movement for Rights and
 Freedoms refused to nominate representatives.

The draft of a new constitution was introduced in Parliament on
September 2 amid anti-government protests which have been going
on for over three months now. It was signed by 127 MPs, the
required minimum being 120. RI/DD