Bulgarian Parliament schedules Presidential election for October 25
Baku, July 31, AZERTAC
The elections for President and Vice President of the Republic of Bulgaria will be held on Sunday, October 25, the National Assembly decided on Friday by 138 votes in favour, with no votes against and seven abstentions, according to the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA).
The votes in favour came from Progressive Bulgaria, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) and Vazrazhdane. Seven MPs from Continue the Change abstained. GERB-UDF and Democratic Bulgaria (DB) did not take part in the vote.
If a run-off is necessary, it will be held on November 1. Article 93, paragraph 4 of the Constitution stipulates that if none of the candidates is elected, a new election is held within seven days, with the two candidates who received the most votes taking part. The candidate who receives more votes is elected.
The draft resolution was submitted by representatives of various parliamentary groups - Petar Vitanov (Progressive Bulgaria), Tsoncho Ganev (Vazrazhdane), Denitsa Sacheva (GERB-UDF) and Nadezhda Yordanova (Democratic Bulgaria).
Under the Constitution, the National Assembly schedules elections for President of the Republic.
Yordan Ivanov said that Democratic Bulgaria believes the date was chosen by the powerholders in order to address the decline in public trust in them. In addition, the DB considers it inappropriate for the second round, which is highly likely to be held on November 1, to fall on an official holiday when Bulgarian schools, community centres and municipalities are engaged in events. This is why Democratic Bulgaria did not support this date for the presidential election, Ivanov said.
Progressive Bulgaria Floor Leader Petar Vitanov said that the Democratic Bulgaria representative had agreed to the date when it was discussed in advance, as had all the other parties. "This is not an act of authoritarianism. This date was discussed at the Presiding Body and, with the exception of Continue the Change, which did not sign the joint decision, we all discussed it as the most suitable option," Vitanov said.
As for the decline in public trust, "it is rather in your Facebook bubbles, because even the polling agencies close to you do not detect it," Vitanov told Ivanov. "I will leave the concern for Progressive Bulgaria's voters to the entire opposition," he added.
The point of holding the vote on October 25 is to have the election earlier, when the weather is suitable and pleasant, so that as many people as possible can turn out and exercise their mandatory right to vote, Vitanov said. This was why the date was chosen, in line with the views expressed by the entire opposition represented at the Presiding Body, he added.
"I in no way called this action 'authoritarian'," Ivanov replied. He said DB Floor Leader Nadejda Yordanova had signed the proposal because this was the normal political course under the constitutional framework, which requires presidential elections to be held.
"Whenever they are held, we will take part, and the result will most likely not be good for you," the MP said.
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