Bulgarian Nationalists Demand New President's Impeachment Procedure

Politics » DOMESTIC | November 11, 2010, Thursday // 14:40
Bulgaria: Bulgarian Nationalists Demand New President's Impeachment Procedure Volen Siderov, the leader of the Bulgarian nationalist party Ataka, has urged for completion of the impeachment procedure for Bulgaria's President Georgi Parvanov. Photo by BGNES

The leader of the Bulgarian nationalist party Ataka, Volen Siderov, has urged for a new impeachment procedure for the President Georgi Parvanov.

"Let's get together and discuss the impeachment procedure and complete it this time," Siderov said Thursday at the parliament.

At the end of March 2010, a total of 155 MPs voted in favor of Parvanov's impeachment while 72 voted against in the first motion in Bulgaria's history to impeach the acting head of state.

The rightists from the GERB party of Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, the Blue Coalition, and the nationalist party Ataka needed 161 votes out of 240 (a two-thirds majority) in order to pass the impeachment motion.

In the meantime, on Thursday, Parvanov participated in the forum "Bulgaria – on the next day" and announced officially the beginning of his political project ABV.

"Instead of being here, at the highest forum, Parvanov is establishing his new party at this very moment," Siderov said, adding that the President was violating the Constitution.

The Bulgarian Constitution mandades some degree of strong impartiality to the institution of President, stating that he "shall embody the unity of the nation" (Art. 92(1)) and "shall not ... engage in any other state, public or economic activity, nor shall ... participate in the leadership of any political party" (Art. 95(2)).

The Ataka leader concluded that besides "politically poaching", Parvanov has also been "poaching in the hunting and fishing meaning of the word."

His comment was in reference to the statement of the Uzbek journalist Gulasal Kamolova that the Bulgarian President had violated the law during his 2008 visit in Uzbekistan by killing a wild mountain goat, the "arhar" - a protected animal, registered in the endangered species "Red Book."

The March impeachment saga came as a consequence of an argument between Parvanov and Finance Minister Simeon Djankov.

The conflict between Djankov and Parvanov flared up after the appearance of the Finance Minister in the talk show of the TV channel Nova Televizia, where he was asked to confirm claims that the president is a "young billionaire" and has "dozens of luxury properties in the United States, Europe and Dubai." Djankov denied saying such things but quipped that Parvanov, 52, was "definitely not young" which was construed by the Presidential Administration as a hint ruining Parvanov's image.

The very next day, Parvanov made an official call for Djankov's resignation.

In an instant reply, the minister denied any wrongdoing, but nevertheless and on the insistence of PM Borisov, who arranged a meeting between him and the President, agreed to try to iron out the "misunderstanding."

Parvanov later published the transcript, triggering a wave of comments and criticism after which GERB announced they are beginning an impeachment procedure. 

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Tags: Volen Siderov, Georgi Parvanov, Parvanov, impeachment, ABV, Ataka, Boyko Borisov, Simeon Djankov

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