Bulgaria’s Parliament Fails to Convene for Third Day Amid Deepening Political Crisis

For the third consecutive day, Bulgaria’s National Assembly failed to begin its session due to a lack of quorum. Only 53 members of parliament were present at the 9 a.m. registration, far short of the 121 required to open proceedings. Speaker Natalia Kiselova conducted the roll call but was unable to convene the sitting, which lasted less than four minutes before being adjourned. As a result, parliamentary control will not take place today. The next plenary session is scheduled for Wednesday, October 22, at 9 a.m.

According to official data, 29 MPs from the WCC-DB coalition, two from BSP–United Left, and 11 each from the Alliance for Rights and Freedoms (APS) and Morality, Unity, Honor (MECH) registered for the session. The absence of other parliamentary groups effectively brought legislative work to a standstill once again, marking the third time in a row the National Assembly has been unable to meet due to insufficient attendance.

Commenting on the situation, Ivaylo Mirchev, co-chair of “Yes, Bulgaria” and member of WCC-DB, told the Bulgarian National Radio that responsibility for the parliamentary deadlock lies with GERB and its allies. “GERB is pulling the plug on the state. The probability of not having a quorum is high, and Borisov has no plan,” Mirchev said, calling the situation “unprecedented” in Bulgaria’s recent history. He also pointed out that there has been no meeting of the Council of Ministers, which, in his view, underscores the depth of the current political crisis.

Mirchev described the ongoing political maneuvers as both an internal coalition struggle and part of Boyko Borissov’s ambitions to regain the prime minister’s seat. At the same time, he argued, Delyan Peevski’s political ambitions are becoming increasingly apparent. “Borissov really wants to be prime minister. He is part of the country’s three prime ministers at the moment, and he wants to be the one to take Bulgaria into the eurozone,” Mirchev said.

Further reading: Three Prime Ministers, One Real Boss: Mirchev Points to Peevski

He reiterated WCC-DB’s long-standing demand for Natalia Kiselova’s resignation as parliament speaker, noting that “the current chair is a newer beginning than the New Beginning.” He also recalled that TISP and BSP had signed the “sanitary cordon” against Peevski, signaling their opposition to his growing influence in parliament.

Discussing the possible reformatting of political power, Mirchev suggested that current talks revolve around what position might be offered to Peevski or his allies. He described Borissov’s recent statements at a meeting with GERB deputies and ministers as revealing his “fears and complexes,” adding that “Borissov is blowing smoke every day, testing the temperature, but there is no plan.”

Mirchev argued that, in the current situation, a vote of confidence in the government is necessary after the mandate holder’s withdrawal of support. Whether Bulgaria will face early elections, he said, depends largely on Peevski’s stance and the extent to which Borissov and GERB continue to accommodate him.

“A government involving Peevski or winter elections, that’s the dilemma. The question is how to ensure a fair vote,” Mirchev added. However, he expressed doubt that Borisov or Peevski would risk early elections, pointing out that “Peevski practically controls a large part of parliament, the BSP is completely depersonalized, and none of the parties, except perhaps GERB to some extent, wants early elections. They know the danger this poses for them, which is why they will do everything possible to avoid it.”