The Sofia Municipal Council Thursday elected municipal councillor Tsvetomir Petrov of Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria (Save Sofia) as its Chair. His nomination was backed by 47 municipal councillors. Petrov will hold the post until the end of the political season, which concludes with the last session of the Council in July, the political groups told the media prior to the vote.
The municipal councillors could choose between three candidates for the leadership position during a secret ballot. Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (Save Sofia) put up Tsvetomir Petrov, There Is Such a People proposed Plamen Danailov, who was backed by four municipal councillors, and Vazrazhdane put forward Emil Dimitrov, who got three votes. Five of the ballots were invalid. GERB-UDF and BSP for Bulgaria did not nominate candidates.
Following his election, Tsvetomir Petrov said that compromise and constant political dialogue would be central to the work of the Council. He added that Sofia is the one thing that should not be compromised on. "It is long past high time that we start doing what the citizens have elected us for: to represent them. We have so many common programme goals. Let's focus on them and not on the things that divide us," he said.
The Sofia Municipal Council has 61 members, and to be elected as a Chair, a candidate needs to be supported by 31 council members.
Prior to the eighth consecutive meeting of the Council for the election of its Chair, the groups of CC-DB (Save Sofia), GERB and the Bulgarian Socialist Party described Tsvetomir Petrov's candidacy as "an administrative solution to a setback”, "a broad agreement on a specific figure", and "a compromise candidacy".
"We can finally start working, something we have not been able to do for three months now," Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev said. He noted that he and his administration are now faced with an even bigger challenge: a functioning Municipal Council. "I am aware that this does not mean political support for either the Municipal Council Chair or the administration," Terziev added. He noted that "dialogue will not be held through the media but in committees, in the Municipal Council". "You will soon see how many differences there are in policies and in our views on key issues, but at least we will be able to work," the Sofia Mayor said.
The Municipal Council elected later on Thursday five deputy chairs: Boyko Dimitrov from Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (Save Sofia), Georgi Georgiev from GERB-UDF, Diana Tonova from BSP for Bulgaria, Vili Lilkov from Blue Sofia, and Tsvetelina Petrova. Vazrazhdane's nominee Deyan Nikolov failed to win enough votes and was not elected as deputy chair.
On a proposal of Georgi Georgiev from GERB-UDF it was decided to extend the sitting until 11:00 pm.
CC-DB (Save Sofia) left the session of the Sofia Municipal Council shortly before its end.
The councillors also voted on the composition of the committees.
Based on an exhausted agenda, GERB municipal councillor and deputy chairman of the council Georgi Georgiev ended the session and announced February 22 as the next date for a sitting of the Sofia Municipal Council.
/RY/
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