Parliament fails to convene due to lack of quorum – again

Parliament was unable to start work for a second consecutive day after several parliamentary groups refused to register their attendance. At the first attempt, lawmakers from the PP-DB, Vazrazhdane, the Alliance for Rights and Freedoms, MECH and Velichie did not take part.

Speaker Natalia Kiselova said that despite the visible presence of MPs in the chamber, the number who registered was not enough to reach a quorum. She told reporters that, in recent years, it had become common practice for the opposition to withhold registration as a sign of protest.

'This behaviour seems irresponsible not towards us, the other MPs, but towards Bulgarian citizens who expect important issues to be raised,' she said.

Ivaylo Mirchev of PP-DB countered that the opposition also had its own agenda. 'We have proposed items for discussion in parliament, but they refuse to accept them. If they are so bold, let them secure the quorum themselves,” he said.

A quorum cannot be achieved without the opposition, as some MPs are away this week as part of delegations abroad.