site.btaPresident Urges Political Forces to Work towards Stability in Society

Sofia, August 1 (BTA) - Before starting consultations Friday with the parties  represented in the national and the European Parliament, President Rosen Plevneliev said: "Let's forget about partisan talking points and face the truth about the facts of the budget, the economy and finances, let's address the talking points of the people and the moves which must be taken to achieve what we have already agreed - a smooth transition to greater stability."

The participants are discussing the need to update the national budget and the budget of the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).

Plevneliev said this meeting was a last-ditch attempt to consolidate the political forces' positions on the 2014 budget. These are public consultations, one of the reasons being that the people and the sectoral organizations, trade unions and other organizations are immensely interested and want to understand the arguments of every participant. "I believe it is important for the people to hear and understand the arguments each of us has, so it will be known afterwards who is responsible for the consciously made decision. This is a difficult moment and we are seeking agreement," said the President.

He read out letters and declarations from patients' and business organizations and municipalities asking the MPs to attend the parliamentary sittings and update the national budget and the NHIF budget. Plevneliev said that trade unions and employers told him the municipalities need support.

Participating in the consultations are party leaders - GERB's Boyko Borissov, Mihail Mikov of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), Lyutvi Mestan of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) and Nikolai Barekov of Bulgaria without Censorship - and representatives of the leaderships of the political forces. The Ataka party is not participating.

Mikov said that he was present out of respect for the Head of State and that the meeting was part of political dialogue.

Mikov also said that decisions on the agenda and the parliamentary groups' positions are taken in Parliament. He reiterated the BSP's view on the proposed updates of the national budget and the NHIF budget. "We support the NHIF budget update just to be on the safe side rather than out of necessity. We do not support the update of the national budget," said Mikov. He also said there was a decision on both matters, supported with arguments at plenary sittings.