site.btaParliament Votes Down Referendum Proposal of Businessman Mareshki

Parliament Votes Down Referendum Proposal of Businessman Mareshki

Sofia, July 29 (BTA) - Parliament voted down a motion for a national referendum submitted by businessman Vesselin Mareshki, after a check found that the referendum petition was not supported by the required number of signatures.

Mareshki's referendum was supposed to ask Bulgarians whether they support the introduction of a regulated fuel market so as to ensure lower prices at filling stations; a lifting of restrictions that do not allow one person to open more than four pharmacies; a reduction of the prices of medicines; a complete abolition of the state subsidy for political parties; halving the number of MPs; and scrapping parliamentary immunity.

A report by the parliamentary legal committee found that out of the 500,000 signatures required of a referendum petition if it is to be considered by Parliament, Mareshki's campaign only had 397,356 valid signatures.

It means that Parliament is not required to make a decision for a referendum and the MPs are free to decide whether or not to support the proposed questions.

In this case the majority in the debating chamber decided that the questions were not of national significance and represent private business interests.

Martin Dimitrov and Peter Slavov of the Reformist Bloc suggested that the first question - about the fuel market - be revised but the proposal was voted down.

Fellow group member Radan Kanev said that a referendum cannot prevent cartel pricing and that cartels should be fought by state institutions such as the Commission for the Protection of Competition, the Customs Agency and the Finance Ministry.

Yanaki Stoilov of Bulgarian Socialist Party said that that the first question should be supported and can be added to a referendum that will be held together with the presidential elections this autumn.

The independent deputy Velizar Enchev also expressed support for leaving the first question.

Speaking on behalf of the initiative committee for the referendum, Mareshki said that they went ahead with their campaign with the full understanding that the political system has used up its potential and the political elite has lost connection with ordinary people and their life.

Speaking to reporters in the corridors of Parliament, Mareshki said that, unfortunately, a huge part of the MPs are representatives of the very same cartels "which steal from Bulgarian people, push them to the wall and deprive them of a chance to have a normal life".

Asked whether he will run for President, he said he wants to see first the grassroot attitudes in the organization he plans to set up.