site.btaTwo in Three MRF MPs Defy Party's Honorary Chair's Advice to Oppose GERB-UDF's Cabinet

Even though Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) Honorary Chairman Ahmed Dogan advised his party's parliamentary group not to support the GERB-UDF cabinet proposal, 30 of the 45 MRF MPs on Wednesday voted in favour of Rosen Zhelyazkov's nomination for prime minister, only 14 were against, and one abstained.

Earlier in the day, Dogan's recommendation was unveiled to journalists in Parliament by one of the two MRF chairs, Delyan Peevski.  He made it clear, though, that he will not comply. "I will carry out the will of the people. I have seen people all over the country, they want a government. Bulgaria must have a government," Peevski said, replying to a question.

"We should look after our people. As MRF leader I am responsible only to the people of MRF," the party chair said. "This is in compliance with the party's charter. The MRF is governed by its chairman," he recalled. Asked whether there is a rift between him and Dogan, Peevski said: "As regards the party, I will implement the will of the people. The MRF must fulfil the will of its voters. Our voters have sent us here to form a government. If there is no government, we are giving Bulgaria to Putin," he added.

After the vote was taken, Peevski commented that "MRF has 30 Euro-Atlantic MPs, and they will be MPs", apparently referring to the next legislature.

National Assembly Deputy Chair Rossitsa Kirova announced in Parliament on Wednesday that, meeting on July 3, the MRF Parliamentary Group had decided to expel MP Ramadan Atalay. 

The veteran MRF lawmaker said on bTV earlier on Wednesday that there is a rift between Peevski and Dogan.

Approached for reaction to an apparent rift in the ranks of the MRF, caretaker Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev said he cannot comment on the processes in a political party.