site.btaParliament Finally Elects Leader, Gets Down to Business

On Friday, Parliament elected Nataliya Kiselova to be its Chair. She was nominated by BSP - United Left and got elected in the 11th attempt since the new Bulgarian legislature opened what was technically its first sitting on November 11.

An associate professor at Sofia University before she was elected to Parliament in the October 27 snap elections, Kiselova is one of the most recognizable experts in constitutional law in Bulgaria.

How the vote went

The vote on her nomination was 140-93 with no abstentions. She was backed by 68 MPs of GERB-UDF, 35 of Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria, 18 of BSP - United Left, 19 of Alliance for Rights and Freedoms. The "against" votes came from one MP of GERB-UDF, 29 of MRF - New Beginning, 18 of There Is Such a People and 11 of MECh.

In a repeat of the previous 10 attempts to elect a Parliament leader, There is Such a People (TISP) nominated Silvi Kirilov, the Bulgarian Socialist Party(BSP)-United Left coalition nominated Nataliya Kiselova, Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) nominated the leader of Democrats for Strong Bulgaria (DSB), Atanas Atanassov, and the far-right party Vazrazhdane nominated Petar Petrov. Kiselova reached a second round of voting in which her opponent was Silvi Kirilov and which she won.  

What Kiselova told the MPs

"From this day on, I will be Parliament Chair for all," she said in her first remarks to the MPs after her election.  She also said, "Compromises will be subject to debate but when a decision is made, it will be observed."

"Bulgarian people need to hear three things today. First, there is hope for this State to return to the normal course of government. Second, there will be sweat and tears, it won't be easy but we need to make sure the efforts are worth it because Bulgarian people want a State that is thinking of them," she also said. 

How the political groups in Parliament commented Kiselova’s election

Rosen Zhelyazkov of GERB-UDF said that it has now become clear that without the votes of GERB-UDF it is impossible to elect a chair of Parliament. “We hope that Parliament will start working and all talk about a parliamentary crisis will be quelled,” he said. He finds it difficult to say whether the majority that voted for Kiselova is a majority for governance. It is important to see the agenda for next week, including work on the rules of procedure, the election of committees, Zhelyazkov said. 

Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria co-leader Assen Vassilev said that he is glad that the MPs reached a consensus, and that Parliament now has a leader. He argued that the CC-DB idea for a sanitary cordon isolating MRF-New Beginning leader Delyan Peevski, has ultimately worked and that the legislators are ready to get down to business, pass all the bills and the state budget by the end of the year. 

Vazrazhdane leader Kostadin Kostadinov expressed his dissatisfaction with what he sees as evident dependencies revealed by the choice of National Assembly chair.  Kostadinov said: "Personally, I am disgusted by what I saw." Kostadinov mentioned that while forming a regular government is possible if this majority remains, it would not be beneficial for the country.

MRF-New Beginning leader Delyan Peevski voiced hope that the legislature will begin to work fast, the procedure for forming a government will start and the country will go to new elections. According to him, "this disgrace in the plenary hall should end". Asked if there was a chance for a regular government, the leader of MRF-New Beginnings said there is, "if they collude to plunder Bulgaria”. “But one thing is certain - I, Delyan Peevski, will stop them,” he added.

Stanislav Balabanov of There Is Such a People commented for the press that "the old ruling majority is reproducing itself, there is a clear enough representation of the old ‘assemblage’; - GERB-UDF, CC-DB, MRF, plus Peevski’s BSP-New Beginning.” He said further that "the puppets from BSP will be dead politically in the next election” after Delyan Peevski “clearly claimed his ownership" of BSP. According to this MP, from now on issues such as anti-corruption reform, the Recovery and Resilience Plan will be up to Peevski.

MECh floor leader Kiril Veselinski told journalists in the corridors of the National Assembly that MRF-New Beginning leader Delyan Peevski “is the king of the hill, the real National Assembly chairperson”, although the BSP-United Left nominee won the post. He also said that Kiselova was “undoubtedly Peevski’s pick”. He was adamant that MECh will not take part in negotiations for a government majority with Peevski or GERB leader Boyko Borissov. “It is either that everyone stands against Borissov and Peevski or we hold new elections,” Veselinski said.

What Parliament also did after ending the leadership stalemate

The MPs decided to work according to the rules of procedure of the previous National Assembly until the adoption of their own. Also, the floor leaders of the parliamentary groups were announced.

The floor leader of GERB-UDF is Boyko Borissov; of Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria’s are Nikolay Denkov and Nadezhda Yordanova; of Vazrazhdane is Kostadin Kostadinov; of the MRF-New Beginning Delyan Peevski; of BSP-United Left Atanas Zafirov and Borislav Gutsanov; of the Alliance for Rights and Freedoms Dzhevdet Chakarov; of There Is Such a Nation Toshko Yordanov; of MECh Kiril Veselinski.