Last batch of new MPs takes oath in Bulgaria’s Parliament after Constitutional Court ruling
Members of Ivelin Mihailov’s nationalist-populist Velichie party were sworn in as members of Bulgaria’s Parliament on March 19, creating the National Assembly’s new ninth and smallest group, with 10 MPs.
This was a consequence of the Constitutional Court decision on March 13 partially invalidating the results of the October 27 2024 parliamentary elections and naming 16 MPs whose election was overruled, which was followed by the Central Electoral Commission the same day announcing an adjusted seat distribution in the National Assembly.
The adjustment resulted in Velichie entering Parliament, after initial official results last year showed it as having fallen short by a whisker of the share of votes necessary to win seats in the National Assembly.
At the March 19 sitting, Speaker Natalia Kiselova announced that Samuil Slavov of populist-nationalist party Mech had submitted his resignation, with Slavov not stating reasons for doing so.
Slavov took the oath as an MP on March 14, which was followed by the Bird.bg website alleging that he had been in prison in the United States for ATM fraud. Slavov has denied the allegation and has threatened court action against the website.
Two other MPs were sworn in on March 19, Stanislav Anastasov and Seifi Mehmedali of Magnitsky Act-sanctioned Delyan Peevski’s Movement for Rights and Freedoms – New Beginning group.
Anastasov was among those whose election had been ruled by the Constitutional Court to have been unlawful. However, following this development, another MRF – New Beginning MP resigned to enable Anastasov to take up his seat, resulting in Anastasov taking the oath for a second time as a member of the 51st National Assembly.
Velichie’s Mihailov told reporters that his group would not support the ruling majority’s Budget, which enters second-reading stage in the House this week.
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