site.btaNataliya Kiselova Launches "The Living Constitution"

Associate Professor Nataliya Kiselova Sunday launched her book "The Living Constitution", which she called "a chronicle of our time". She was elected Chairperson of the 51st National Assembly on December 6.

The book launch was held at the headquarters of the ABV party, part of the BSP-United Left coalition which nominated Kiselova, an MP of its group, to the post. She said the book launch had been planned before she was elected.

The book is a collection of articles on the establishment of the rule of law. The presentation was attended by politicians, academic and cultural figures.

Talking about the birth of the idea for the book, Kiselova said: "The intellectual Umberto Eco was a columnist for the Corriere della Sera for over two years and was taking snapshots of Italian society and politics. In my humble understanding, the Bulgarians should know that there still are people who can analyse some absurd situations so that we do not make avoidable mistakes time and again," she said.

"Elections are always a way out, but our effort is to make sure they are not the only way out," she noted. "I strongly hope the political parties will use these weeks to get in condition and will realize that the Bulgarians want a government and not new elections. To my mind, it is only with political parties in good shape, with a functioning Parliament, government, President, and institutions whose mandates have not expired, that we can say a constitutional democracy is functioning."

"The political crisis has put our constitutional democracy to the test. Before it was clear that elections would be held in October, I have criticized the [constitutional] provision about the officials from whom the President chooses the caretaker prime minister," Kiselova said. "Our understanding is that (...) instead of choosing between the lesser and the greater evil, the President should have more options. Of course, it would be best if these limitations were removed, but this is a matter for the Constitutional Court to decide," said the Parliament leader.

Kiselova was referring to Article 99 (5) of the Constitution, last amended on December 20, 2023, which reads: "A caretaker prime minister shall be appointed from among the Chairperson of the National Assembly, the Governor or a Deputy Governor of the Bulgarian National Bank, the President or a Vice-President of the Bulgarian National Audit Office, and the Ombudsman or a deputy thereof." President Rumen Radev and 48 MPs of Vazrazhdane and TISP challenged the constitutionality of the amending law in early January. On July 26, because of a split 6-6 vote, the constitutional judges were unable to rule on three revisions, including the President's options for the appointment of a caretaker prime minister.