site.btaDisorder in Plenary Hall as MPs Try to Debate on Changes Concerning Coal-fired Plants’ Future, Sitting Fails

On Thursday, the National Assembly’s agenda included a debate on the updated roadmap for climate neutrality and revisions to the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) in its Low-carbon Economy component and REPowerEU chapter. Also on the agenda were changes in the Bar Act vetoed by the President on September 20. However, lack of quorum resulted in the parliamentary sitting being postponed several times. When a quorum was eventually reached in 9 pm, MPs of Vazrazhdane and There is Such a People (TISP) blocked the rostrum to prevent the debate. After nearly an hour of disorder in the plenary hall, National Assembly Chair Raya Nazaryan called a break and a meeting of Parliament’s presiding body. Afterwards, the sitting was terminated due to lack of quorum.

The lack of quorum throughout the day was caused by the Vazrazhdane, BSP, and There Is Such a People (TISP) groups, after at the start of Thursday’s sitting they failed to get the  amendments concerning the future of the Maritsa East Mines complex removed from Parliament’s agenda. 

From the overtaken rostrum, Iskra Mihaylova MP of Vazrazhdane explained that the roadmap is a key energy document determining how Bulgaria’s coal-fired plants will be closed down in time and be replaced with renewable energy sources.  

During the plenary sitting, miners gathered outside the National Assembly's building to protest against the draft amendments.

Earlier in the day, parliamentary Energy Committee Chairman Delyan Dobrev (GERB-UDF) told a news briefing that the revisions are for BGN 500 million to be allocated under the NRRP to the recultivation of Maritsa East Mines' terrains, which will be given to a State-owned company to be set up for this purpose alone.  The company will fund the mines themselves, the concessionaires so that they can restore and recultivate the terrains. Once that happens, the ownership will be transferred to the company, which will manage the EU resources for restoration and recultivation. The process  is expected to be completed within this year and have the financial resource allocated under the NRRP.

The new company will be entirely State-owned and represented by the Energy Minister. In the name of transparency in the resources' spending, the management bodies of the company will include trade union representatives. Once the recultivation is completed, the company's future will be up to the National Assembly alone. What will happen with the terrains themselves once the company becomes their owner, will be considered at a later stage.

Thursday's sitting was supposed to be the last for the 50th National Assembly, as the election campaign for the October 27 snap general elections begins on Friday.