Bulgarian Rulers, Opposition Fight over Presidential, Local Elections Date

Politics » DOMESTIC | April 12, 2011, Tuesday // 12:31
Bulgaria: Bulgarian Rulers, Opposition Fight over Presidential, Local Elections Date Ruling party GERB MP after talks with President Parvanov over 2011 elections date. Photo by BGNES

Bulgaria's ruling center-right party GERB (Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria) has suggested that the 2011 presidential and the local elections should be held on October 23.

GERB's suggestion came up during key MP Iskra Fidosova's consultations with President Georgi Parvanov.

According to GERB, October 23 is an appropriate date because the end of the year is the time when state municipal budgets are approved and these activities might be delayed if the elections are held later.

In Fidosova's words, the runoff vote can be held on October 30, meaning that the Central Electoral Commission will finish work by November 8-10.

Since by law Bulgaria's local elections are scheduled by the President, and the presidential elections are scheduled by the Parliament, Fidosova made it clear she hoped her center-right ruling party can reach a compromise with President Georgi Parvanov, with whom GERB has been at odds.

GERB's only staunch ally in Parliament, Bulgaria's nationalist party Ataka backs the election date suggested by the ruling party, October 23, for a first round and October 30 for a runoff, Ataka MP Denislav Chukolov told journalists.

The opposition, however, has put forth two other possible dates for holding the double vote.

Opposition Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) leader and ex PM Sergey Stanishev opposed GERB's proposal, saying that October 23 is too early and that the ruling party aims to downplay the-election campaign.

The Socialists have proposed holding the double elections on November 13, 2011.

Stanishev also rejected Fidosova's claim that the later date will interfere with the approval of municipal budgets, pointing out that the local administration votes on budget plans much later.

The Socialists' chair also specified that the Bulgarian Socialist Party will insist on the presence of foreign supervisors throughout the elections.

The opposition ethnic Turkish party DPS (Movement for Rights and Freedoms) came up with a third proposal regarding the election date - October 30 for the first round and November 6 for the runoff.

After a meeting with President Parvanov, DPS Deputy Chairman Lyutvi Mestan explained that the elections should be held after St. Dimitar's Day, or Dimitrovden, (Bulgarian Orthodox holiday celebrated on October 26) because the seasonal farm work will not be over earlier.

President Parvanov held consultations for the appointment of a Central Electoral Commission (CEC) on 12 April. According to the new Election Code, passed by the Parliament at the end of last year, CEC will be permanent for all elections and is appointed by a presidential decree for a 5-year term. All parties and coalitions with a parliamentary group and with Members of the European Parliament will be represented.

For this reason, the President is holding consecutive talks with the ruling, center-right Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) party, with the opposition Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), with the right-wing Blue Coalition, the far-right, nationalist Ataka party, the ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS), and with the National Movement for Stability and Prosperity (NMSP) of former Tsar and PM, Simeon Saxe-Coburg, because they have 2 MEPs.

Again, according to the Election Code, the CEC Chair is appointed on the proposal of the party with the most MPs while every political formation with MPs will have one Deputy Chair.

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Tags: Bulgarian President, BSP, Bulgarian Socialist Party, GERB, Iskra Fidosova, Georgi Parvanov, Ataka, Sergey Stanishev, Presidential elections, local elections, election day, 2011 elections

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