Raya Nazaryan, nominated by GERB, failed to secure enough votes in two rounds of voting to become the Speaker of Bulgaria’s 50th Parliament. In the initial round, she garnered 116 votes in favor, while 69 deputies opposed her candidacy and 53 abstained.
We followed the voting live, read more here.
The lineup of candidates included Petar Petrov from “Revival”, Silvi Kirilov from “There Is Such a People” (TISP), and Prof. Yuliana Mateeva from “Greatness.” Despite a second round of voting, Nazaryan again fell short of the required majority.
Boyko Borissov, leader of GERB, remained steadfast in support of Nazaryan, asserting that the largest parliamentary group deserves the Speaker’s position. He criticized smaller parties, particularly “We Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria” (WCC-DB), for what he described as obstructive behavior and reluctance to engage in forming a coalition government.
Borissov accused WCC-DB of refusing to join a governing majority and claimed credit for supporting Prime Minister Denkov’s cabinet formation. He expressed frustration over political dynamics, hinting at past dealings with businessman Alexei, whose role, Borissov implied, was instrumental in previous political negotiations.
Responding to allegations from Prime Minister Denkov that GERB and DPS pressured his government into collapse due to reform reluctance, Borissov vehemently denied involvement with DPS and disputed Denkov’s version of events. He emphasized the need for stable governance in accordance with the electorate’s mandate.
According to Borissov, forming a government makes sense only if it is from the three largest political forces in the parliament. These are GERB, DPS and WCC-DB.
“If you ask me if I’m optimistic – I’m not. In no case am I. The largest party, traditionally, gets the speaker of the parliament and then some processes start. We all see how we are flying towards new elections because there are no responsible parties. I have told you 100 times that we cannot form a coalition with DPS alone. Without a broad format, we cannot form a coalition. There is a way to create a government of shared responsibility with more parties, but a government in which everyone stands and, as I watched today, Denkov brags about what he has achieved – well, you didn’t achieve it without GERB. They feel like they’ve made no mistake. They consider themselves victims. Alexei Petrov, unfortunately, is gone. Otherwise, we would all go to the monastery and deal with them. Better a terrible end immediately than to do senseless things. The government only makes sense if it is from the three largest parties. The others, if they want, are also welcome,” said Borissov.
“As long as they distort the truth,” Borissov concluded, referring to alleged negotiations between Kiril Petkov and DPS, “we must clarify the real narrative.”
After a 30-minute break, the presiding Speaker Silvi Kirilov adjourned the plenary session until tomorrow. The session will reconvene on Thursday (June 20) at 10 a.m.
President Rumen Radev, speaking outside the parliament, clarified his decision not to address the deputies, citing his previous extensive speeches over the past three years. He emphasized that he has covered essential topics such as the necessity of reforms, the rule of law, social stability, and national sovereignty.
“All the points I needed to convey have been communicated. Now is the time for action,” Radev commented, before departing from the premises after attending the swearing-in ceremony of the new members of parliament.