Sofia : “Progressive Bulgaria” has proposed amendments to the rules of procedure of the National Assembly that, according to opposition parties, would limit parliamentary oversight of the government.
One of the proposals would ban hearings of ministers during the so-called “opposition day” — the first Wednesday of each month, when opposition parties are allowed to set part of the parliamentary agenda. Other proposed changes would require the support of at least 48 MPs to establish temporary parliamentary committees and would allow ministers to postpone answers to parliamentary questions without limit.
“Democratic Bulgaria” described the proposals as “harmful and scandalous”, saying they restrict opposition rights “in ways that even GERB and DPS never allowed themselves”.
According to GERB MP Toma Bikov, the proposals would shorten a number of legislative procedures and risk turning parliament into “a rubber stamp” for Prime Minister Rumen Radev.
Nikolay Denkov of We Continue the Change (PP) said the changes would restrict the opposition’s access to information from state institutions and local authorities, remove ministers’ obligation to report to parliament and give the speaker greater control over the agenda in both the plenary chamber and parliamentary committees. According to Denkov, the opposition would effectively lose the ability to introduce topics for debate.
“Our proposals are aimed at making parliamentary debate more substantive, without opportunities for abuse of time and procedures,” Progressive Bulgaria’s Dimitar Zdravkov told reporters in parliament.
