Eurasia Press & News
The Bulgarian Parliament voted Thursday against the proposal to make a change in the Constitution that would allow both the elections for the European Parliament and the national one to be held on the same day.
The proposal was made by NDSV, a member of the ruling three way coalition, but was opposed by its other two members – the Ethnic Turkish dominated Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) and the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP).
The parliamentary opposition in the Parliament supported NDSV’s proposal but it still didn’t gather enough votes and was denied 101 to 79, with 9 MP’s abstaining.
The case with the elections for a Bulgarian and European Parliament arose debates in Bulgaria because if they are made on the same day, this would be earlier than the national election is planned. This way a new parliament would be elected well before the old one’s mandate is over.
DPS and BSP members claimed that this would create a dangerous precedent of having two parallel parliaments, each of whom with different majorities. NDSV countered saying it is just a measure to save taxpayer money and that even if elected earlier the new parliament will step into power after the old one’s mandate ends.
