The leader of the far-right nationalist Ataka party, Volen Siderov, staged a real theater performance, according to former Prime Minister and leader of the centrist GERB, Boyko Borisov.

Borisov spoke for the media in the Parliament as the 42nd General Assembly convened for the first time.

"Siderov is playing circus games. We take the oath of office as Members of the Parliament, and then those from his party do not vote and allow the ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms, DPS, and the Bulgarian Socialist Party, BSP, to elect their candidate for Speaker of the Parliament without any obstruction.

It emerged during the Parliament's first session on Tuesday that the 23 elected MPs from Ataka took the oath of office, but purposely failed to register for voting.

Thus, 217 MPs out of the total 240 registered for casting a vote, lowering the needed quorum from 121 to 109, which allowed BSP and DPS to elect the new Speaker of the Parliament without the need of support from GERB and Ataka.

When asked if the above meant that despite pledges for the contrary, Ataka had indeed supported DPS, Borisov replied:

"Isn't it obvious? The next government of BSP and DPS will be elected in the same manner while Siderov will continue to play this game claiming he is the corrective. However, soon no one will believe him and people will react to his scam. Siderov shouted for 20 minutes in his speech and then brazenly lied to voters and mislead them," said Borisov.

He reiterated GERB would propose a government as it was their duty and responsibility even though the proposal was likely to be rejected.

The ex-PM further informed that GERB was submitting with the Constitutional Court, as early as Tuesday, their request to void the results from the May 12 early general elections.

Meanwhile, Siderov managed to stir a new scandal outside the Parliament in attacking a journalist from the SKAT TV channel.

In the company of Ataka MP, Desislav Chukolov, and several other party supporters, he shouted at the reporter to apologize to Bulgarian people. The Ataka members kept pushing closer to him and intimidating him, but he remained unfazed by the 10-minute pressure.

The police officer coming to the scene was also attacked by Siderov, who accused him of touching and pushing an elected MP, but at the end declared he was going to forgive him as the policeman denied it, but nevertheless apologized.

SKAT TV channel is owned by Valeri Simeonov, Siderov's former close ally and even best man at his wedding.

After their falling out, Simeonov founded the nationalist National Front for Salvation of Bulgaria, NFSB, which grew to a very strong rival of Ataka, gathering 3.75% of the vote in the general elections.

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