site.btaIn Wake of Caretaker Cabinet Appointment Failure, Parliament Faces Stalemate

No solution is in sight for Bulgaria's political crisis after a meeting of Parliament's Presiding Body on Tuesday produced no agreement among the political forces after the failed appointment of a caretaker government on Monday. 

On his way into the meeting of the Presiding Body, Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) co-leader Assen Vassilev stated that CC-DB is attending but would leave if Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) floor leader Delyan Peevski is among the participants. Vassilev said Peevski was "the crux of the problem". Vassilev emphasized the need for Parliament to elect new officeholders with expired terms, such as the Vice Presidents of the National Audit Office, to fill the pool of potential candidates for caretaker Prime Minister. He also supported the proposal to cut short the MPs' summer recess to address the ongoing crisis.

Going into the meeting, There Is Such a People (TISP) floor leader Toshko Yordanov said his party would propose undoing recent constitutional revisions concerning the appointment of caretaker prime ministers. 

After the meeting, Yordanov described it as "strange and pointless". He said that the differences between the parties were not bridged. “Vazrazhdane did not show up. Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) came, saw [Movement for Rights and Freedoms Floor Leader] Delyan Peevski and left. The Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP)  said they believe this Parliament has been exhausted and no changes should be made. You know what GERB said – nothing new. The MRF want elections,” Yordanov said.

Later on Tuesday, President Rumen Radev announced plans to meet with the individuals eligible for appointment as caretaker Prime Minister on Wednesday.