Big flail: Bulgaria’s parties in power hit out in bid to defend themselves

Behind a widened cordon sanitaire guarded by lines of police, Bulgaria’s half-empty Parliament – pelted with vegetables by protesters – resumed activities on June 27 after its sitting the previous day was cancelled for lack of a quorum.

The parties involved in seeking to keep the Bulgarian Socialist Party government afloat – the BSP, Movement for Rights and Ataka – hit out at their several thousand critics and political enemies, seeking a tougher line from the Interior Ministry against the continuing protests calling for the resignation of the government.

From socialist and other circles defending what the protesters see as an administration bereft of credibility, there also have been increasingly direct criticisms of President Rossen Plevneliev, who has praised the conduct of the protesters.

On the evening of June 26, socialist MP and Speaker of Parliament Mihail Mikov spoke live on public television and radio in reaction to the events of the day, which saw Parliament left without a quorum while outside about 1000 protesters gathered for a “drink a coffee at Parliament” event during which abuse was hurled at those BSP and MRF MPs who came to the House.

Tomatoes were thrown at the building of the National Assembly, prompting Mikov to say that “aggression and violence” had been demonstrated at the building of Parliament.

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