Reactions in Parliament After Constitutional Court Says Former Speaker Kiselova Wrongly Blocked President’s Euro Referendum Request

The Constitutional Court’s ruling that former Speaker of Parliament, Natalia Kiselova, had no grounds to refuse discussion of President Rumen Radev’s request for a referendum on the adoption of the euro has triggered a wave of reactions in Parliament on November 19.

At a meeting of parliamentary group leaders, “Vazrazhdane” sought to add the President’s request to this week’s agenda but were told this was impossible, on the grounds that former Speaker Kiselova had already returned the proposal to the President.

• President Radev: Constitutional Court Ruling against Parliament Speaker's Rejection of Referendum Proposal Is a Victory of the Law over the Arbitrariness of the Political Class

The 'We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria' coalition argued that Constitutional Court decisions cannot be applied retroactively and defended Kiselova’s actions.

Kostadin Angelov, GERB–UDF parliamentary group, Deputy Speaker of the Parliament:
“The Speaker’s order and the physical return of the President’s request took place on 13 May 2025. Therefore, the procedure on the submitted proposal has concluded, and there is no proposal for the National Assembly to consider.”

Petar Petrov, “Vazrazhdane”:
“The ball is in President Radev’s court. He can submit a new proposal for a national referendum at any time. Bulgarian citizens should always be consulted. If such a proposal is submitted, we will support it.”

Yavor Bozhankov, WCC–DB:
“The legal consequences apply only from this point onwards. So Kiselova’s decision—despite the many criticisms of her work, and there truly are many—must be acknowledged for one thing: at that moment she did what was right for Bulgaria. She returned to President Radev what was clearly a provocation, a blatant attempt to halt Bulgaria’s progress towards the eurozone.”