site.btaCC-DB Parliamentary Group to Discuss DSB's Proposal to Nominate Atanas Atanasov as Parliament Chair - MP Bozhanov

Democrats for Strong Bulgaria's (DSB) proposal that Atanas Atanasov be nominated as a candidate for National Assembly chair will be discussed at a parliamentary group meeting, which is the format for making this kind of decisions, Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) MP Bozhidar Bozhanov told Bulgarian National Radio Sunday.  

Asked about a proposal for prime minister, Bozhanov pointed out that throughout the election campaign they had talked about an equidistant candidate. "In order for us to have mutual trust in this prime minister, they should not be a bright political figure," Bozhanov argued. 

The question of National Assembly chair could have been untangled from the question of prime minister and a governing majority, because indeed the first political force has been extremely slow, consciously or not, with the process of any attempt to form a government, Bozhanov said, referring to GERB-UDF. He added that the first political force even gave up the first mandate during the week. "Now maybe we should understand that they [GERB] have embraced once again this idea. Let them formulate a clearer concept," he said.

According to the MP, what GERB had asked the Constitutional Court about the declaration of a sanitary cordon around the MRF - New Beginning is not what the CC-DB is proposing. "We are proposing a vote by the majority of MPs to unite around not giving leadership positions to MRF - New Beginning, Bozhanov explained.  

We are going around in circles, we have repeatedly said that we would hold talks for the mandates with everyone except Vazrazhdane and MRF - New Beginning,  said the MP from CC-DB. He explained that they are still looking for the format in which this can happen. "For us the most important thing is the isolation of [MRF-New Beginning leader Delyan] Peevski and his influence".

"Our declaration is an instrument to establish the existence of such a majority and the removal of Peevski effectively," Bozhanov said.

"We in CC-DB believe that it is important to have a leadership meeting first in order to clarify our agreement on priorities," Bozhanov said. He explained that the coalition is seeking to form a pro-European, anti-corruption majority, which excludes Vazrazhdane and MRF - New Beginning.  

Bozhanov said that some legal changes should be made, such as stopping the election of Borislav Sarafov as prosecutor general with a seven-year term. This would not solve the lasting problems, Bozhanov said, adding that after removing Sarafov "another Sarafov will be installed". "In the Anti-Corruption Commission we have no reason to believe that if we replace Anton Slavchev, the remaining members will not cooperate with Peevski," Bozhanov added.

In his words, the lasting solution is to replace the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), which are not Peevski's quota, as well as to revise the Judiciary Act. But all these things require regular governance, Bozhanov added.