GERB-UDF and WCC-DB are preparing joint legislative programme, tied to election of Parliament Speaker

GERB-UDF and WCC-DB are preparing a joint legislative programme for the first session of Parliament, tied to the election of the National Assembly Speaker, representatives of the two political groups announced at a joint briefing on April 13.

Working groups have been formed, which by Tuesday should be ready with priority draft laws according to a list prepared in advance. Among them are the draft laws related to the Recovery and Resilience Plan, Schengen and eurozone entry, judicial reform in the part of the anticorruption commission, the Penal Procedure Code and domestic violence.

A discussion on constitutional changes has also been launched, with both groups stressing that effective reform of the justice system goes through constitutional reform.

The legislative programme prepared by the two groups will be proposed to the other parliamentary groups in the 49th National Assembly for discussion. Some of the bills will be submitted jointly by and WCC-DB.

GERB-UDF’s nomination for Speaker of the 49th National Assembly - Rosen Zhelyazkov, remains unchanged.

The two political forces were adamant that no negotiations for a government were underway at this stage.

Dessislava Atanasova from GERB expressed hope that today's talks would be a first step towards forming a majority that would elect a stable government.

"Whether there will be a government and with which mandate it will be, depends on the efforts of all of us. We, from GERB-UDF are convinced that the only way to continue the Euro-Atlantic development is to have a majority," Atanasova said.

"We are trying to make the most of the situation. We are not discussing a government and any such hints are unfounded," said Nikolai Denkov of “We Continue the Change”.

“Democratic Bulgaria” co-chairman, Hristo Ivanov, said they were using the working groups as a basis for Parliament to work - to elect a Speaker and to nominate legal and budget committees, as well as a committee on constitutional issues.

The issue of electing a Speaker for the 49th National Assembly is still on the table, he said.

"Whether these are first steps depends on whether we can take second and third steps, and no one can say yet. We cannot return to normal parliamentary government without having an elected government. Whether we will be able to find a solution and with what formula is not the subject of today's step that we are taking. Obviously, that is a task and a goal, but it is not something that we can comment on, being responsible for what is happening. Each of us, within the framework of the commitments made to the voters, is looking for an opportunity to restart the parliamentary republic," Ivanov said.