site.btaParliament Sitting Foiled Yet Again Due to Absence of Quorum

Sofia, July 31 (BTA) - Parliament's plenary sitting was foiled yet again on Thursday due to the absence of a quorum. Only 95 of a total of 240 MPs registered for the day's proceedings in the chamber. The groups of GERB and Ataka were absent. Parliament Chairman Mihail Mikov announced that the next sitting will be held on Friday.

On Wednesday, GERB leader Boyko Borissov said that his party will stay out of the proceedings of Parliament (which is expected to be dissolved on August 6), although the legislature is currently considering updates of the national budget and the budget of the National Health Insurance Fund, which had been supported by GERB on first reading. Borissov explained that if his party stays on to approve the budget updates together with the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF), this will spark speculation about a coalition between GERB and MRF. GERB's absence from the chamber and Parliament's inability to obtain a quorum has called into question the definitive approval of the two budget updates.