By virtue of a decree, President Rosen Plevneliev will schedule the first solemn meeting of the 42nd National Assembly for 21 May. This is what the Head of State said after holding successive talks with the leaderships of the political parties that enter the next parliament – GERB, Coalition for Bulgaria, DPS and Political Party Ataka. “Not later than tomorrow (18 May) I will sign a decree whereby I will convene the National Assembly and the date on which we reached general consensus is Tuesday, 21 May,” the President said and recalled his firm position that the country needs a working parliament.
The consultations on handing the mandate for forming the government will be held with representatives of the parliamentary groups after the National Assembly is convened and structured, as stipulated in the Constitution, Rosen Plevneliev said. At the solemn opening of the 42nd National Assembly, the head of state will deliver an address to the people and the newly-elected Assembly deputies.
The President insisted that the Assembly deputies hold debates as early as the first days after the National Assembly is convened and “adopt an act stating consensus on the priorities of the 42nd National Assembly prior to launching talks on the formation of a government.” “I think this would be a very strong statehood gesture, therefore I will be very happy if the political parties again follow this tradition,” the head of state pointed out. “However, if such an act is not adopted by the new Parliament, I owe the Bulgarian citizens and take on the commitment that, within the next round of consultations, the President’s Office will voice the decisions and commitments of the political parties before the mandate for forming a government is handed,” Rosen Plevneliev added.
“Henceforth a lot of work must be done. The Bulgarian citizens expect that the new National Assembly will take on specific commitments, carry out reforms and pursue policies that will solve their problems. We need stable and working institutions, not a state destabilized by partisan fights and oppositions, because nobody will benefit from this. We owe the Bulgarian citizens such an approach,” the President said after the talks. “Responsibility should be assumed and the people should not be disillusioned. The problems are clear and I believe that reaching an agreement between the Assembly deputies on making the necessary legislative amendments regarding the nation’s burning problems is an attainable aim,” the head of state further added.
Bulgaria’s next government will not be formed in the President’s Office, but in parliament and the party headquarters, Rosen Plevneliev emphasized and pointed out that the formula for the future cabinet had not been debated at the talks held with representatives of the political parties.
Regarding the legal provision for deputies to refer the case concerning the legitimacy of the general election that has just ended, the President said that as a head of state he will comply with “the decision of the Constitutional Court subsequently made, no matter what it is.” “However, until the Constitutional Court issues its decision, you must expect that the President will not postpone, but move ahead toward forming a parliament and a working government,” Rosen Plevneliev was adamant.