Bulgarian Parliament vice-chair, socialist Maya Manolova. Photo by BGNES
The European People's Party should have critiqued largest Bulgarian affiliate party GERB for boycotting the work of the Bulgarian Parliament, according to the house's deputy-speaker Maya Manolova.
Manolova's statement comes in the wake of a debate at the European Parliament concerning the political crisis in Bulgaria, initiated by EPP MEPs.
In the debate, some MEPs said they find the situation in Bulgaria worrying.
"The tone and the formulations at the debate were to be expected. But what we expected even more was that MEPs judge equally those from their own party and those from other parties," stated Manolova, who is MP from the Bulgarian Socialist Party.
"We expected the EPP to call on GERB to return to Parliament. Bulgaria is a parliamentary democracy, and GERB MPs were elected to their positions," added the parliament vice-speaker.