President at the Consultations with 'MRF– New Beginning': Are Changes to Electoral Code Needed and How Do You See the Implementation of New Financial Framework?

“You are not part of the governing coalition, but you have consistently expressed your support and sustained this government with a clear position that there should not be elections any time soon, that Bulgaria needs stable and long-term governance with a full mandate in order to implement policies that are important for the country.”

This is how President Rumen Radev addressed representatives of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) – New Beginning parliamentary group during the latest round of consultations at the presidential institution on December 16.

“You are deeply involved in the processes taking place in the Bulgarian Parliament and in our society. In this context, do you intend to continue to uphold this position and seek to extend the life of the 51st National Assembly, albeit in a different governing configuration, or do you now believe that we must inevitably move towards early parliamentary elections?” the Head of State asked.

The president also raised another question: whether changes to the Electoral Code are needed in order to increase public trust and introduce more measures to ensure fairness and transparency in the elections.

He further asked about the extended budget law and how MRF – New Beginning sees its implementation within the new financial framework that lies ahead for the country.

Yordan Tsonev, "MRF - New Beginning": “We supported this government with the clear understanding that the political crisis of the past four to five years had to find a solution. We also took into account the important developments facing the country — the introduction of the euro as Bulgaria’s single currency, overcoming the financial imbalances the country was in, and the geopolitical situation, which, due to the war, is not at all favourable for Europe, and particularly for us. That was our understanding when we supported this cabinet.”

Tsonev stressed that his party supported the government on the basis of policies and did not participate in governance through positions — neither in the executive branch nor in the leadership of parliamentary committees.

He told the President that it is no longer possible to continue their policy within this Parliament:

“The events that have taken place clearly show us that this Parliament has completed its real political life. In our view, there should have been a regular and proper budget, not an extended one. However, given the situation in which most political forces want an extended rather than a regular budget, we will also support the extended budget.”

As for what this Parliament should still accomplish, Tsonev said that changes to the Electoral Code are undoubtedly needed to make the process even more transparent and secure:

“You know that for years the MRF has insisted on machine voting, and we continue to insist on machine voting — but not with machines that are completely compromised. From day one, we have insisted that the machines should be counting and scanning machines, in order to avoid the biggest flaw of paper voting — the sectional election commissions and the errors that occur there.”

photos by Dessislava Kulelieva, BNT

Yordan Tsonev confirmed that 'MRF – New Beginning' will take a very active role in the process of amending the Electoral Code.