Parliamentary Monitor: Friday
NW 20:24:31 07-05-2021
MY2026NW.114
114 POLITICS - PARLIAMENT - MONITOR ampl.2
Parliamentary
Monitor:
Friday
Sofia, May 7 (BTA) - At its plenary sitting here on Friday, Bulgaria's National Assembly transacted business as follows:
- On a motion by BSP for Bulgaria, ordered all members of the outgoing Council of Ministers to appear in the debating chamber for Question Time; National Assembly Chair Iva Miteva said that the Cabinet had been notified of Parliament's resolution.
- Disagreed on the agenda of the sitting. When the Presiding Body met on a motion by Democratic Bulgaria to address the issue, BSP for Bulgaria insisted on a second reading of amendments to the Social Insurance Code they had moved, but this motion was not put to the vote on Thursday (the revisions would result in an increase of occupational pensions granted by December 31, 2017). Eventually, the Socialists agreed that the legislature proceed with the agenda as approved lest the sitting be disrupted by further disputes.
- Gave a hearing to Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC) Chair Ivan Ivanov and the EWRC members on the approval of new electricity and heat prices for the period between July 1, 2021 and June 30, 2022 and on the forthcoming consideration and approval of water and sewerage operators' new business plans and the pricing of water-supply and sewerage services for the 2022-2026 period. "The EWRC will not allow a steep price increase of any energy products," Ivanov assured the MPs. He answered their questions about price-forming factors, the prices of greenhouse emission allowances, and natural gas market trends.
- Voted, 83-69 with 56 abstentions, to reject a motion by BSP for Bulgaria that assigned the Council of Ministers to take all possible steps for procuring the Russian Sputnik V vaccine against COVID-19 and making it accessible to Bulgarian citizens. The votes in favour came from BSP for Bulgaria, There Is Such a People, Rise Up! Thugs Out! and (one) Democratic Bulgaria. GERB, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms and Democratic Bulgaria argued that the Bulgarian Drug Agency lacks the capacity to conduct a centralized procedure for the assessment of the safety and efficacy of the Russian vaccine and must wait for the authorization of the European Medicines Agency.
- Passed conclusively, on first and second reading, an Act to Ratify the Protocol to Amend the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Government of Romania regarding Air Policing Cross-Border Operations, signed in Rousse on March 18, 2021. The amendments ensure a possibility for third NATO member countries' aircraft to conduct cross-border operations in the two countries' territories while performing enhanced air policing missions. The Protocol also designates the national authorities vested with powers to authorize such operations. RY,
***
The Parliamentary ad hoc parliamentary committee scrutinizing the GERB incumbency heard for a second day Svetoslav Ilchovski, a large landowner and grain producer, who told the committee at Wednesday's hearing about extensive schemes for pressuring businesses to cater to the power-holders' interests and about corruption. The Wednesday meeting was interrupted by GERB MPs, who stormed in during the hearing, prompting a rescheduling of the hearing until Friday.
The Friday hearing started with scadnals, interruptions and general lack of order. Ilchovski continued to claim that he had been pressured by GERB officials and that he had been asked to sign a fictitious deals with the Gradus company, owned by Ivan Angelov, a large poulty producer. Gradus' shares dropped by around 10 per cent on Friday. Angelov also appeared during the Friday hearing to defend his integrity as a businessman and deny Ilchovski's allegations. He claimed that he had loaned Ilchovski money in the past, which the latter did not pay on time and even had the nerve to ask for more.
Answering a question whether he has been contacted by the prosecution service or any other institution two days after making these allegations, Ilchovski said he has not been approached by any institutions yet, but has documents to prove his claims.
GERB MP Dani Kanazireva asked where the report from the hearing will be submitted, describing it as a political fiasco part of the election campaign.
NV/LG, MY
/МЙ/
MY2026NW.114
114 POLITICS - PARLIAMENT - MONITOR ampl.2
Parliamentary
Monitor:
Friday
Sofia, May 7 (BTA) - At its plenary sitting here on Friday, Bulgaria's National Assembly transacted business as follows:
- On a motion by BSP for Bulgaria, ordered all members of the outgoing Council of Ministers to appear in the debating chamber for Question Time; National Assembly Chair Iva Miteva said that the Cabinet had been notified of Parliament's resolution.
- Disagreed on the agenda of the sitting. When the Presiding Body met on a motion by Democratic Bulgaria to address the issue, BSP for Bulgaria insisted on a second reading of amendments to the Social Insurance Code they had moved, but this motion was not put to the vote on Thursday (the revisions would result in an increase of occupational pensions granted by December 31, 2017). Eventually, the Socialists agreed that the legislature proceed with the agenda as approved lest the sitting be disrupted by further disputes.
- Gave a hearing to Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC) Chair Ivan Ivanov and the EWRC members on the approval of new electricity and heat prices for the period between July 1, 2021 and June 30, 2022 and on the forthcoming consideration and approval of water and sewerage operators' new business plans and the pricing of water-supply and sewerage services for the 2022-2026 period. "The EWRC will not allow a steep price increase of any energy products," Ivanov assured the MPs. He answered their questions about price-forming factors, the prices of greenhouse emission allowances, and natural gas market trends.
- Voted, 83-69 with 56 abstentions, to reject a motion by BSP for Bulgaria that assigned the Council of Ministers to take all possible steps for procuring the Russian Sputnik V vaccine against COVID-19 and making it accessible to Bulgarian citizens. The votes in favour came from BSP for Bulgaria, There Is Such a People, Rise Up! Thugs Out! and (one) Democratic Bulgaria. GERB, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms and Democratic Bulgaria argued that the Bulgarian Drug Agency lacks the capacity to conduct a centralized procedure for the assessment of the safety and efficacy of the Russian vaccine and must wait for the authorization of the European Medicines Agency.
- Passed conclusively, on first and second reading, an Act to Ratify the Protocol to Amend the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Government of Romania regarding Air Policing Cross-Border Operations, signed in Rousse on March 18, 2021. The amendments ensure a possibility for third NATO member countries' aircraft to conduct cross-border operations in the two countries' territories while performing enhanced air policing missions. The Protocol also designates the national authorities vested with powers to authorize such operations. RY,
***
The Parliamentary ad hoc parliamentary committee scrutinizing the GERB incumbency heard for a second day Svetoslav Ilchovski, a large landowner and grain producer, who told the committee at Wednesday's hearing about extensive schemes for pressuring businesses to cater to the power-holders' interests and about corruption. The Wednesday meeting was interrupted by GERB MPs, who stormed in during the hearing, prompting a rescheduling of the hearing until Friday.
The Friday hearing started with scadnals, interruptions and general lack of order. Ilchovski continued to claim that he had been pressured by GERB officials and that he had been asked to sign a fictitious deals with the Gradus company, owned by Ivan Angelov, a large poulty producer. Gradus' shares dropped by around 10 per cent on Friday. Angelov also appeared during the Friday hearing to defend his integrity as a businessman and deny Ilchovski's allegations. He claimed that he had loaned Ilchovski money in the past, which the latter did not pay on time and even had the nerve to ask for more.
Answering a question whether he has been contacted by the prosecution service or any other institution two days after making these allegations, Ilchovski said he has not been approached by any institutions yet, but has documents to prove his claims.
GERB MP Dani Kanazireva asked where the report from the hearing will be submitted, describing it as a political fiasco part of the election campaign.
NV/LG, MY
/МЙ/
EUR 1.9558
USD 1.724
CHF 1.8657