site.btaMPs Debate Second No Confidence Motion in Zhelyazkov's Government, Voting to Take Place Thursday

Members of Parliament debated the second no-confidence motion to the Zhelyazkov Cabinet on Wednesday, while the vote itself is scheduled for Thursday.  

The no-confidence motion was filed on April 10 by the Morality, Unity, Honour (MECh) and Velichie parliamentary groups. The motion is based on claims of corruption in four or five specific sectoral policies, including the contract with Turkish energy company Botas. The first no-confidence vote was over the Cabinet's foreign policy and was defeated on April 3. 

Political forces in Parliament

Presenting the reasons for moving for a no-confidence motion against the Cabinet, MECh leader Radostin Vasilev said that it has shown consistent reluctance to combat corruption. Vasilev was the first to speak during the debate. "There is total inaction on the part of the ministers and a lack of adequate measures to combat bribery, abuse of power, influence peddling, conflicts of interest, and money laundering in key institutions such as the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministries of Energy and Regional Development, and the security services subordinated to the Council of Ministers and working with the European Public Prosecutor’s Office," said Vasilev. The MECh parliamentary group gave There is Such a People (TISP) and its leader Slavi Trifonov 24 hours before the vote of the motion of no confidence to reconsider and support it, Floor Leader of MECh, Kiril Veselinski, said from the parliamentary rostrum during the debate of the second no-confidence vote against the Cabinet of Rosen Zhelyazkov over corruption in various spheres.

There will be more MPs voting against the Government this time, Velichie leader Ivelin Mihaylov told the press on his way into Parliament for the debates. "Democracy, Rights and Freedoms abandoned support for the government for the very same reason. They said that the Cabinet has been captured by Delyan Peevski," he said. Mihaylov told reporters in Parliament later that the Zhelyazkov Cabinet will survive the upcoming vote of no confidence because “Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria have decided to take no action and [Movement for Rights and Freedoms – New Beginning leader] Delyan Peevski has shown that he firmly supports this government. 

The parliamentary group of the Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) coalition will continue to refrain from supporting no-confidence motions against the government until the official date of Bulgaria’s entry into the eurozone is announced, CC Co-Chair and former prime minister Kiril Petkov said. CC-DB co-Floor Leader Nikolay Denkov said that his coalition will not participate in Thursday’s no-confidence vote against the Zhelyazkov Cabinet so it can help secure this country’s top priority – joining the euro area. 

The leader of the Vazrazhdane party, Kostadin Kostadinov, predicted a shift in political reality with the second vote of no-confidence against the government. Speaking to the press on his way into the debate, he said, "This vote will outline a new political reality in this country." 

MRF-New Beginning Floor Leader Delyan Peevski Wednesday told reporters the Rosen Zhelyazkov cabinet would survive the vote of no confidence over corruption.

The Cabinet has no problems with stability - MRF-New Beginning will support it because it is time to work for people, said Peevski. "The only thing I want is for the Prime Minister and the ministers to set about solving people's problems. No matter how much the oligarchs and other political figures want it, this cabinet will not fall; if the Cabinet does its job, it will get support [from MRF-New Beginning]." 

The Democracy, Rights and Freedoms (DRF) Parliamentary Group will support the no-confidence motion against the Zhelyazkov Cabinet. "The government was elected exactly three months ago with the backing of the MRF [Movement for Rights and Freedoms] with Ahmed Dogan as Honorary Chair," the group said in a declaration read out in Parliament by DRF’s MP Hyusni Adem on Wednesday. He recalled that by supporting the adoption of the state budget, the DRF MPs have acted as statespersons first and politicians next.

The Government's reactions

“With this vote you have achieved something good, you have consolidated the partners in the government. More importantly, you have consolidated around it that part of society that wants stability. In front of the eyes of the whole of Bulgaria, you have shown your complete, large-scale bankruptcy and absolute powerlessness to offer any meaningful alternative to this government,” Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Zafirov said.

Regional Development and Public Works Minister Ivan Ivanov told Parliament that he does not see much point in this debate, adding that maybe the main goal is to bring about the government's collapse, "because when there is a caretaker government, there is no road construction, no one bears responsibility". 

Justice Minister Georgi Georgiev said on Wednesday that the much too frequent votes of no confidence in the government are apparently aimed to keep Parliament and the cabinet from functioning.

Interior Minister Daniel Mitov said that ongoing investigations into the smuggling case in Plovdiv and the involvement of senior Interior Ministry officials have been brought to light following extensive political speculation. He warned that the sensationalized public discourse might be aimed at obstructing the current anti-corruption probe and efforts to uncover protection schemes covering illicit trade.

Energy Minister Zhecho Stankov said that an enormous amount of parliamentary time has been wasted on motives that completely cover previous governments. He added that this is also a diversion from the public agenda.