site.btaPresident Holds Consultations with Bulgarian Democratic Centre

126 POLITICS - PRESIDENT - CONSULTATIONS - BDC amplified

President Holds Consultations
with Bulgarian Democratic
Centre


Sofia, February 24 (BTA) - The Bulgarian Democratic Centre (BDC)
suggested that the President initiate a roundtable on
referendums and the related legislation, the coalition's
Co-floor Leader Svetlin Tanchev said after BDC representatives
met with President Rosen Plevneliev on Tuesday.

The meeting was part of Plevneliev's month-long political
consultations with the parliamentary forces.

Tanchev stressed that referendums should be more practical
rather than have people vote to no effect.

The BDC representatives said their priorities are judicial
reform, health care and e-government.

Regarding the planned new debt of up to 8,000 million euro over
three years, the BDC members said they do not object to the loan
but want more details about how it will be spent.

The water sector reform can no longer be delayed because this is
bad for Bulgarian urban and rural settlements and, moreover,
the European Commission will be uncompromising to Bulgaria,
President Plevneliev commented at his meeting with
representatives of the BDC Parliamentary Group, quoted by his
Press Secretariat.

The President and the BDC parliamentarians were unanimous that a
number of urgent reforms, including the social sphere,
pensions, health care, education and the security sector, can be
implemented with concerted efforts in 2015. The MPs backed the
position of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief on the need of more
investments in the country's defence capabilities, including
with the support of partners in NATO.

Plevneliev recalled to the MPs that he opposes the idea of a
presidential republic and reiterated that parliamentary
democracy is one of the major achievements in Bulgaria's
contemporary history. PK, LI/DD, LG

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