The Members of the Bulgarian Parliament rejected Thursday the veto of President, Georgi Parvanov, on the mandate that all accumulated paid leave is used by employees in the country by the end of 2011.

All present MPs from the ruling center-right Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) party, from the far-right, nationalist Ataka party, the right-wing Blue Coalition, and 1 independent MP voted against the veto, (130 votes) while the entire opposition – the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) and the ethnic Turkish party, Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) cast an approval vote (49).

On July 5, Bulgarian President, Georgi Parvanov, imposed a veto on the above decision of the Parliament.

The vote stirred heated debates from both sides focusing around the constitutional rights of Bulgarians regarding their vacation leave.

The Socialists reiterated threats they will ask the Constitutional Court to rule on the case. GERB, Ataka and Blue Coalition MPs, all said the problem can be attributed mainly to those working at the State administration.

The GERB Social Policy and Labor Minister, Totyu Mladenov, insisted the amendments in the Labor Code actually secure the employees rights to use their leave each year by adhering to a schedule.

Later, Mladenov told journalists that at the end of 2011 his experts will analyze the used leave, but failed to explain if the deadline will be extended or if those, who were unable to take vacation, will be compensated in any way.