Nikola Minchev from "We Continue the Change" was elected Speaker of Bulgaria’s 47th Parliament

nikola minchev continue change elected speaker bulgariarsquos 47th parliament

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12:55, 03.12.2021

Nikola Minchev from the parliamentary group "We Continue the Change" was elected Speaker of the 47th National Assembly. He was supported by the votes of BSP, Democratic Bulgaria, MRF and "There is Such a People". Only the “Vazrazhdane” party nominated its own candidate, Tsoncho Ganev, who did not get the required votes.

Nikola Minchev’s nomination was supported by 158 votes in favour. One MP voted against, 72 abstained.

Nikola Minchev was proposed for the post by Kiril Petkov, co-leader of “We Continue the Change”. Minchev graduated in law from Sofia University, has many years of experience as a lawyer in an internationally recognized law firm.

"Over the years, Nikola has proven to be an excellent professional. An uncompromising fighter for causes with active civic position. I believe that these qualities, such as his good education, integrity, perseverance, will contribute much to the 47th National Assembly. He will serve for the best cause - the success of Bulgaria," Petkov said.

MRF MP Hamid Hamid asked for a 30-minute break so that parliamentary groups could get acquainted with the nomination and propose their own.

After the resumption of the sitting, only “Vazrazhdane” party offered their nomination - Tsoncho Ganev. He graduated from the Academy of Economics in Svishtov, a businessman, engaged in private business, a longtime manager in a large international company.

"A man who has always stood on an equal footing with us in defending the Bulgarian language and a man who we believe will be able to represent the institution of parliamentarism," Vazrazhdane said.

13 MPs voted for Ganev's proposal, 91 were against and 88 abstained.

The MPs also elected the Deputy Speakers of the National Assembly with 239 votes in favour:

"We Continue the Change" - Miroslav Ivanov

GERB-SDS - Rositsa Kirova

Movement for rights and Freedoms (MRF) - Mukades Nalbant

Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) - Christian Vigenin

“There is Such a People” - Iva Miteva

Democratic Bulgaria - Atanas Atanasov

"Vazrazhdane" - Tsoncho Ganev

In his first address as Speaker of Parliament, Nikola Minchev pointed out that the Parliament faces the difficult task of justifying the confidence of Bulgarian citizens to fulfil a full term.

"We are in a favourable position of people who have recently gained the trust of Bulgarians. The more difficult task is to justify the trust. The Bulgarian Parliament is not just the place where laws are made, but the supreme institution that ensures the functioning of all spheres of public life - from guaranteeing the rights and freedoms of citizens to bringing Bulgarian society to a well-deserved leading position in Europe," he said.

He called on MPs to work constructively and fully.

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Nikola Minchev was the leader of the list of candidates for MPs of "We Continue the Change" in Pernik.

He began his career in the largest law firm in Bulgaria "Djingov, Guginski, Kyuchukov and Velichkov". His greatest passion is litigation, defending the rights of clients before the Arbitration Court of the International Chamber of Commerce.

He has participated in conferences and lectured at the Energy Law Group (European network of lawyers in the field of energy law). His experience includes banking regulation and capital markets, as well as public procurement, according to the "We Continue to Change" website.

Minchev graduated from the German High School in Sofia, after which he obtained a master's degree in law from Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski". He believes that good order can be achieved with good laws, so that young people do not have to choose between happiness in Bulgaria and good realization abroad. He speaks English and German.