site.btaUPDATED Parliament to Hold Extraordinary Sitting on May 21

The National Assembly will hold an extraordinary sitting at 1 pm on May 21, Stanislav Balabanov MP of There Is Such a People told journalists Friday. That decision was taken by Parliament's presiding body on Friday at the request of Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB).

On May 14, the CC-DB parliamentary group submitted a request that the National Assembly be convened over the upcoming raise of pensions. They want Parliament to guarantee that the National Social Security Institute (NSSI) and the caretaker government will implement the state budget as written and voted by the Denkov cabinet, whereby pensions should be increased by 11% as of July 1. CC-DB pointed out that the request was submitted after what they describe as an attempt of the caretaker cabinet to reduce the increase in pensions to 10%, citing a draft report of the NSSI Supervisory Board.

In the report, NSSI experts estimate that the pension rise should be 10%, as required by Article 100 of the Social Insurance Code, according to which pensions must be adjusted annually by 50% of the previous year's inflation, whether positive or negative, and by 50% of the growth of the average contributory income (the so-called "Swiss rule"). 

At its meeting on May 14,  the NSSI Supervisory Board decided to update pensions by 11%.

At Friday's meeting of the National Assembly presiding body, BSP for Bulgaria requested that another item be added to the extraordinary sitting's agenda: a hearing of the caretaker Energy Minister and of the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission head about information that electricity will appreciate drastically. Exiting Parliament's building, BSP for Bulgaria floor leader Korneliya Ninova told journalists they want an absolutely responsible decision to be taken at all levels and institutions to prevent a price increase of 20% or 30%.

Vazrazhdane will not participate in Tuesday's meeting, the party's press office said later on Friday. Calling an extraordinary meeting during an election campaign is a violation of a decision already taken, which was voted by CC-DB, GERB-UDF and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, the press release said.