Ex Bulgarian President Top Court Bid Stirs Riot in Own Party

Politics » DOMESTIC | November 21, 2012, Wednesday // 15:51
Ex Bulgarian President Top Court Bid Stirs Riot in Own Party: Ex Bulgarian President Top Court Bid Stirs Riot in Own Party Former leader of the Union of Democratic Forces, UDF, MP, Martin Dimitrov, says the right wing has been used as crutch for the ruling GERB of Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov. Photo by BGNES

Members of the Parliament from the right-wing Blue Coalition rose against the nomination of former Bulgarian right-wing President, Petar Stoyanov, for constitutional judge.

They opposed in mass their own leader, Emil Kabaivanov, who presented Stoyanov's nomination one day earlier.

Dimo Gyaurov, from the Blue Coalition, said Wednesday the right wing has been placed in an embarrassing situation, looking like puppets of Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov. He added he was counting on Stoyanov's wisdom and intelligence in deciding on the next move.

Gyaurov further voiced concern from the Parliament's refusal to officially annul its constitutional judge election of controversial judge, Veneta Markovska, which could create a huge "legal mess."

He did not discount the possibility for the Blue Coalition to nominate once again for the above post the Deputy Speaker of the Parliament, Ekaterina Mihaylova.

The former leader of the right-wing Union of Democratic Forces, UDF, MP, Martin Dimitrov, who was replaced earlier in 2012 by Kabaivanov, also forecasted that Stoyanov will decline the nomination. He voiced his belief that UDF should have a debate and decide on one among several candidates.

Dimitrov pointed out that he would never be part of what is suspected to be UDF's murky deal with Borisov, stressing this was precisely why he resigned as party leader.

"We already look like a crutch for the ruling Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria party, GERB. Borisov is a master of the political game and I cannot blame him. I would to the same if I was in his shoes," said he.

"The Blues should not allow the disgrace Markovska to fall as a pile of trash in their own yard," laconically told journalists Ivan Kostov, leader of the other party in the Blue Coalition, Democrats for Strong Bulgaria, DSB, and former PM of Bulgaria.

A seat in the Constitutional Court remained empty when last Thursday 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.

After Plevneliev's move, Friday Bulgarian MPs decided to launch a new procedure to choose another constitutional judge from the parliamentary quota.

Monday Bulgaria's Prime Minister Boyko Borisov unexpectedly informally invited UDF to nominate a replacement for Markovska on grounds the formation was the oldest right-wing party in Bulgaria and is a member of the European People's Party, EPP, similarly to his ruling Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria party, GERB.

The move is interpreted as an attempt from the PM to attract the allegiance of the Union and create further divisions in the feeble Blue Coalition between the UDF and DSB.

After Petar Stoyanov's nomination, it emerged that he faces boycott by all opposition parties in the Parliament, including his own.

In addition to own right-wingers, the Socialist party, BSP, and the ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms, DPS, have also said they will boycott the new procedure since, they claim, it has been rigged.

Stoyanov has asked to have three days to say if he would accept the nomination and is likely to turn it down, deepening the constitutional crisis, according to experts and media reports. He is expected to make such decision not only because of his regular activities abroad, but also because of the stern opposition his candidature will face in the Parliament.

Despite Gyaurov's most recent statement, Kostov already declared the "Blues" would not nominate again Ekaterina Mihaylova, who failed against Markovska.

On Tuesday, Veneta Markovska announced that she has decided to go on retirement and filed her application.

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Tags: Union of Democratic Forces, UDF, MP, Martin Dimitrov, right-wing, Dimo Gyaurov, Rosen Plevneliev, Veneta Markovska, constitutional judge, Constitutional Court, Yordan Sokolov, Boyko Borisov, parliament, Blue Coalition, Democrats for Strong Bulgaria, Union of Democratic Forces, UDF, president, EPP, DSB, GERB, Petar Stoyanov, Ivan Kostov, Ekaterina Mihaylova, Emil Kabaivanov

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