The remaining lawmakers from Bulgaria's right-wing Democrats for Strong Bulgaria party have reiterated their opposition to any party nomination for constitutional judge.

UDF MP Mihail Mihaylov told Btv on Tuesday that none of his colleagues are willing to file nomination papers in Parliament for any constitutional judge candidate endorsed by the party's governing body.

UDF leader Emil Kabaivanov, who has now lost the support of all the party's MPs and its sole Member of the European Parliament, has once again accused the lawmakers of disobedience.

On Monday, the UDF governing body controversially expelled three key UDF MPs for failing to support the party's constitutional judge endorsement.

The party's MPs refused to back the nomination of former President Petar Stoyanov (1997-2001) for constitutional judge, saying they did not oppose Stoyanov personally, but the fact that the nomination was imposed by Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and his centrist-right GERB party.

Last week, Bulgaria's Prime Minister Boyko Borisov unexpectedly invited UDF to name a replacement for GERB's unfortunate constitutional judge nomination, saying the formation was the oldest right-wing party in Bulgaria and is a member of the European People's Party, EPP, similarly to GERB. UDF's governing body agreed and nominated Stoyanov for constitutional judge. However, he declined.

A seat in the Constitutional Court remained empty on November 15, when Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev walked out just as controversial judge Veneta Markovska was about to swear in.

Markovska's name had become implicated in allegations of trade in influence, which she was unable to dispel, but nevertheless chose not to resign, after being elected to the Constitutional Court by Parliament.

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