Forty-first National Assembly Started Work

The oldest member of parliament, Andrey Pantev from the parliamentary group of Coalition for Bulgaria chaired the inaugural session of the newly elected National Assembly. In the beginning of the session the electronic system of the parliament registered 228 from the total of 240 MPs.
The MPs took an oath of allegiance in the presence of President Georgi Parvanov, the leader of GERB (Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria) Boiko Borisov, National Ombudsman Ginio Ganev, Patriarch Maxim and representatives of the judiciary.

"We have to congratulate those who are a majority. We assure you that we have no interest in the failure of this government. On the contrary, we will support you, even with applause", Pantev said to the MPs from GERB. In his opinion there is one word which is key for the parliament in order for it to be really effective in its work and that word is "continuity", Focus Agency reported.

The newly appointed chair of the National Assembly, Tsetska Tsacheva said: "This is the first National Assembly constituted during the Bulgarian EU membership. Irrespective of whom voters cast their ballot, they expect a better life".

She explained that hard work and discipline are essential as well as broad representation of civil society through participation of the non-governmental organizations in the permanent committees in the parliament. "We are expected to be free from ostentation, to work more and be more self-disciplined", Tsacheva said.

The newly appointed deputy chairpersons are Luchezar Ivanov from GERB, Georgi Pirinski from Coalition for Bulgaria, Hristo Biserov from the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, Pavel Shopov from "Ataka", Ekaterina Mihailova from the Blue Coalition and Atanas Semov from Order, Lawfulness, Justice. They were appointed with 235 votes in favour and one abstainer.

The MPs appointed six temporary parliamentary secretaries. These are Plamen Nunev (GREB), Dragomir Stoynev (Coalition for Bulgaria), Mithan Metin (MRF), Petar Hlebarov (Ataka) and Mariana Darakchieva (The Blue Coalition) and Biserka Petrova (OLJ).

The temporary parliamentary commission will draft proposals for amendments in the Rules of Organization and Procedure of the National Assembly. The commission comprises of 14 members of Parliament. Seven of them will be from GERB and two from Coalition for Bulgaria and from MRF. The other parliamentary groups will be "Ataka", OLJ and the Blue Coalition with onre representative in the commission. The chair of the temporary body will be Iskra Iskrenova from GERB.

Meanwhile the cabinet of Sergei Stanishev resigned. The government of the "Triple Coalition" will work until new government is formed.