GERB and VMRO reached an agreement in principle for amendments to the Constitution and for convening a Grand National Assembly. This happened after the first in a series of GERB consultations with parliamentary groups and independent MPs.
The official talks lasted about an hour. They were attended by the Speaker of the National Assembly Tsveta Karayancheva, the Chairperson of the GERB General Assembly Daniela Daritkova and the Chairperson of the Budget Committee Menda Stoyanova. The representatives of IMRO were the deputy chairman of IMRO Iskren Veselinov and Julian Angelov, DarikNews writes.
Currently, the project submitted to the National Assembly is undergoing a legal and technical correction, Daritkova commented. She stressed that all proposals from parliamentary groups will be heard.
The chairman of GERB also revealed that they agreed with the proposal of VMRO in the draft for a „new“ Constitution to include a preamble outlining the basic principles on which the state will operate.
The government hopes to collect the necessary 120 signatures by September 2 to start the procedure, which involves a two-month discussion of the project, as well as detailing the proposals. Then more support from 160 MPs should be sought.
VMRO commented that they look “with hope” at the proposal to convene the Supreme National Assembly. Iskren Veselinov stated:
“Our proposals include detailing the position on the coat of arms, which many people put when publishing the first version, support for literate births. We believe that with regard to this possibility for submission of laws by the judicial councils of prosecutors and judges, proposed by GERB, we believe that it is good, if this remains, that it is only for laws related to the functioning of the judiciary.”
Vesselinov pointed out that the VMRO supports the idea that the president should also have a legislative initiative, but only on issues related to his competencies. According to him, his party will insist on more texts related to the rights of Bulgarians abroad, the marriage between a man and a woman, the introduction of a form of compulsory voting, as well as those that allow for the return of conscription in the future.
The GERB press center announced that the consultations with the independent MPs will start at 14:00. The meetings with representatives of VOLIA will take place on September 2 at 08:00.
To the invitation from GERB for a meeting, BSP replied that they have a decision of the party not to participate in consultations for a new Constitution. DPS has not already responded to the invitation.
The VMRO spread a position to the media on the conditions under which they will support the draft of a new Constitution.
Meanwhile, it has become clear that the NFSB wants a new basic law and supports the project. Valentin Kasabov pointed out that the talks are forthcoming with specification of the specific topics, clearing of the remarks and with the proposals they have.
