site.btaPresident Radev: Parliament Will Be Convened as Soon as Possible

(BTA) - The Bulgarian Parliament will be convened as soon as possible following the promulgation of the list of the new MPs, President Rumen Radev, who is seeking re-election, told journalists here on Monday. He congratulated Continue the Change for what he called a "compelling victory" in  the November 14 parliamentary elections.

Continue the Change won around 25 per cent of the vote according to early returns.

"I do believe that this time parties will overcome their differences in the name of our future, and we will have a stable majority to elect an efficient government," Radev said. He stressed that such a serious support for Continue the Change gives a chance and brings hope.

"The battle for strengthening our statehood is not over as the status quo parties have repeatedly stated their aspirations to seize the presidential institution. This is their primary goal and they do not hide it. They have never spared resources and will not spare them this week, either", Radev said, referring to the week until the second round of presidential elections on November 21. 

He called on all who want to live in a dignified and modern Bulgaria to go to the polls and vote to "make the change irreversible".

Radev won around 49 per cent of all votes in Sunday's presidential election, while his main rival, Anastas Gerdjikov, polled some 22 per cent of the vote.

According to Radev, Bulgaria needs the Individual Application to Constitutional Court, which is in place in many EU countries. "I am confident that it will expand Bulgarians' trust in the Constitution, democracy and the institutions. This will require revisions to the Constitution and the Constitutional Court Act in terms of expansion of the Court's powers, more resources and staff", Radev added.

Radev said he will propose draft amendments to the Constitution if elected for a second term.