site.btaParliament Supports Government Changes

105 - POLITICS - GOVERNMENT CHANGES - PARLIAMENT

Parliament Supports
Government
Changes

Sofia, July 24 (BTA) - The Bulgarian Parliament Friday voted to
support changes in the government of Prime Minister Boyko
Borissov.   The changes include replacement of four ministers -
of the Interior, of Economy, of Tourism and of Finance, and a
change of portfolio for the Minister of Health, who becomes
Finance
Minister. The government reshuffle passed in the legislature on
116 votes "for" and 89 "against" with no abstention.

Prime Minister Borissov was not in the debating room and neither
 were the outgoing ministers.

The government shakeup was prompted by large-scale protests
against corruption, the government and the country's chief
prosecutor held in Sofia and other cities for two weeks now. It
was announced by the ruling coalition of GERB and the
nationalist United Patriots on Thursday but did not stop the
protests and people pressed on with their demand that the entire
 government needs to come down. 

After the MPs took the vote, the new ministers took the oath.

Also, Parliament voted to suspend the MP powers of outgoing
Finance Minister Vladislav Goranov at his request.

During the debate, Krassimir Yankov (Socialist) said that there
are more failures among the government ministers. He and fellow
group member Roumen Gechev went on to catalogue the failures of
the outgoing ministers.

Valentin Nikolov (GERB) took the floor to outline what would
happen if the Prime Minister and the entire government stepped
down. "Mr Radev, who epitomizes the protest, would form a
government. But the protestors are leaning to the Right and they
 don't want the Belene [N-plant] and Balkan Stream [gas pipeline
 projects] - and the Left wants them. The only thing that keeps
us from resigning is the responsibility to prevent chaos in this
 country and the skirmishes over the leadership in your
[Socialist]
party being taken to government level and divert Bulgaria from
its path," said Nikolov.
  
Socialist leader Kornelia Ninova summed up her party's demands:
changing the mafia-stile government and ensuring a rule of law.
"Today, Borissov proposes keeping the model, a sham change and
mimicry. You change ministers when there are suspicions of
corruption, in order to  save corruption."

She said that the true motive for the government shakeup is fear
 of the people and of being held accountable, and the real aim
is survival of the power-holders at any cost.

The Movement for Rights and Freedoms did not make any
statements.

GERB: President calls for autocratic rule

At the opening of the parliamentary sitting, GERB floor leader
Daniela Daritkova read out a declaration on behalf of her party,
 which slams a statement by President Rumen Radev before the
protestors on Thursday evening. Emerging from the Presidency to
mingle with the protestors, Radev called for disbanding the
legislature and changing the Constitution.

Daritkova said: "It is high time the President stated clearly
his claims and wish for having a presidential republic in
Bulgaria."

Bulgaria is a parliamentary republic.
   
"Pretending to be heeding to the people's voice, what he really
does is ruining democracy by violating the laws and the
Constitution and practically calling for a an autocratic rule,"
Daritkova said. LN/NV/