site.btaOpposition Socialists Return to Parliament, Will Press for Finance Minister's Resignation

112 POLITICS - PARLIAMENT - OPPOSITION

Opposition Socialists
Return to Parliament, Will Press
for Finance Minister's Resignation


Sofia, May 29 (BTA) - The opposition BSP for Bulgaria Parliamentary Group will be back in the National Assembly for the plenary sitting on Thursday, and as from Wednesday its members will resume their attendance of standing committee meetings, BSP for Bulgaria Deputy Floor Leader Dragomir Stoinev told journalists on Wednesday after a meeting of the group.

BSP for Bulgaria which, with 79 MPs, is the second largest parliamentary group in the incumbent Parliament, has boycotted the legislature since mid-February in protest against an initial refusal of the government majority of GERB and the United Patriots to reinstate preferential voting in the Election Code. The provisions were restored, but the opposition Socialists continued their boycott.

BSP for Bulgaria are planning to demand the resignation of Finance Minister Vladislav Goranov, whom they hold entirely responsible for oversubsidizing the political parties, Stoinev commented but admitted that no party has raised the issue so far, which is "reprehensible". The Deputy Floor Leader said that his party is ready to return the excess, but reiterated that only the Finance Ministry is to blame.

It transpired a week ago that in 2018 the parties and coalitions represented in Parliament were paid 13.20 leva per vote gained in the elections instead of 11 leva as budgeted. The reason was an oversight in the Political Parties Act, on account of which the subsidy also took account of the votes cast for the candidates that did not reach the electoral threshold and the None Of The Above votes. The actual subsidies disbursed thus totalled 38 million leva-plus, instead of 32 million leva.

On Monday, the Cabinet urgently adopted draft amendments to the Political Parties Act which, if passed, will remedy the situation and will be backdated to May 26, 2016. LI/LG

/СН/