site.btaUPDATED MRF Chairman Chakarov Says Party Not Functioning Normally, Must Return to Normality

The Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) is not functioning normally and needs to return to normality, said one of the MRF chairmen, Dzhevdet Chakarov [the other chairman is Delyan Peevski], after leaving a meeting with MRF Honorary Chairman Ahmed Dogan at the latter's property in Rossenets Park on the Black Sea. The meeting was also attended by MPs and members of the party. 

"An address by our Honorary Chairman is expected shortly. Our collective bodies are not functioning and this cannot continue any longer," said Chakarov. He said there must be stability in the country and all possible efforts should be made to form a government.

A BTA reporter earlier in the day several cars carrying MRF representatives arriving at Dogan's residence in Rossenets Park.

Ramadan Atalay, who was expelled from the MRF parliamentary group a few days ago, also arrived at Dogan's house earlier on Saturday. He declined to talk to journalists.

The tension within the MRF emerged after GERB's draft cabinet, with prime minister designate Rosen Zhelyazkov, was denied approval in Parliament last week. After President Rumen Radev handed the first mandate on July 1 to form a government to the largest parliamentary group GERB-UDF, the coalition proposed Rosen Zhelyazkov as prime minister and a cabinet of 19 ministers. On 3 July, Parliament did not elect Rossen Zhelyazkov as prime minister. "All GERB-UDF deputies - 68 and 30 from the MRF - voted in favour of the draft cabinet, while 14 MRF MPs voted against, and one abstained. Before the vote, Ramadan Atalay of the MRF said that there is currently a rift in the relations between Delyan Peevski and Ahmed Dogan. Atalay also said there was a direct order from Dogan that the MRF parliamentary group should not support the proposed government.

A few days ago, Dzhevdet Chakarov said that it is obvious that there is a one-man rule in the MRF, which leads to tension in the parliamentary group and in the structures. He stressed that the vote that took place in Parliament for the draft government was an expression of this.

A few days ago the MPs from the MRF, who voted "against" Zhelyazkov's draft cabinet, came out with an open letter addressed to Ahmed Dogan. The letter stated that they are in favour of "unity and togetherness" of the MRF under the leadership of Dogan. Since the beginning of this Parliament, three MPs have been expelled from the MRF parliamentary group - Aysel Rufad, Dzheyhan Ibryamov and Ramadan Atalay.

MRF Chairman Delyan Peevski said in Parliament on Friday that the issue of whether the party was disintegrating was not on the agenda.