site.btaParliament Resolves on Conduct of National Referendum Moved by Team of TV Talk Show anchor Slavi Trifonov

Parliament Resolves on Conduct of National Referendum Moved by Team of TV Talk Show anchor Slavi Trifonov

Sofia, May 12(BTA) - In a 131-18 vote with one abstention Parliament Thursday resolved on holding a national referendum on election-related questions moved by the team of TV talk show anchor Slavi Trifonov.

The six proposed referendum questions are for holding of parliamentary elections based on the majority rule in two rounds; halving the number of MPs in Parliament; making voting compulsory; introducing distance e-voting in elections and referendums; reducing the state subsidy for political parties and coalitions to 1 lev per vote received at the latest general elections; and introducing majority-rule elections in two rounds for the election with absolute majority of the directors of the Interior Ministry's regional departments and the heads of regional police stations.

Presenting the reasoning for the referendum prior to voting the motion, a member of Trifonov's team - Toshko Hadjitodorov, told the MPs that they are "not the people, nor Gods, nor emperors" and that they must abide by the law.

A total of 572,650 valid signatures were collected in support of holding the referendum.

According to the Referendums Act, provided that 400,000 legitimate signatures are collected by members of the public with voting rights, Parliament is to pass a resolution on holding a referendum. According to the same law, the referendum is to be held together with the presidential elections due in late October.