site.btaSocialists to Seek Support from ABV to Petition Constitutional Court about New Debt

Socialists to Seek Support from ABV to Petition Constitutional Court about New Debt

Sofia, April 17 (BTA) - The Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) have
 prepared a petition to the Constitutional Court concerning the
parliamentary sanction for a possible new debt of 16 billion
leva for Bulgaria to take out in the next three years. "Next
week we will propose it to other parliamentary groups, including
 ABV," BSP leader Mihail Mikov told a news briefing on Friday
following a meeting of the party's Executive Bureau.
   
The Socialists need at least 48 signatures from MPs - nine more
than the seats they control in Parliament - to take the matter
to the Constitutional Court.

The Socialists' move comes nearly two months after Parliament
conclusively ratified three agreements with four intermediary
banks for an up to 8,000 million euro sovereign loan. The
ratification went through on the votes of GERB, the Reformist
Bloc, ABV, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms and the
Bulgarian Democratic Centre (BDC). BSP and Ataka voted against
and the Patriotic Front abstained. The ABV deputies initially
seemed to be on the opposition's side but subsequently changed
their mind - prompting the resignation of ABV leader Georgi
Purvanov over this.

Mikov said the petition to the Constitutional Court will give
ABV a chance "to rectify and show a different position on this
matter".

"There have been processes evolving near Bulgaria, to which the
Bulgarian government has reacted inadequately. The bypassing of
Bulgaria by the gas routes is more than concerning. Did we have
to hear from Russia that gas supply through Ukraine will be
discontinued from 2019? We should have learnt this from our own
government," the socialist leader said. He warned that Bulgaria
will lose its status as a gas transiting country.

It also transpired from Mikov's remarks that in the new
political season his party will renew its campaign in favour of
introducing progressive taxation. "It is important for us to be
heard by people and this will happen when we put on the agenda
the issues they see as important."

The BSP leader likened the position of Bulgaria in respect to
the Juncker Plan as that of a forester child. Obviously we had
excessive expectations, he added.