Opening of the 48th Bulgarian Parliament (UPDATED)

The 48th National Assembly opens today with a solemn meeting. After the announcement of the election results on October 2, the current composition of the parliament includes 7 parties. The 240 people's elected representatives took an oath to respect the Constitution and to be guided by the interests of the people.

The oldest deputy has the honor of opening the new Bulgarian parliament. In the 48th NA it is Vezhdi Rashidov. After registration, Rashidov said that there are 235 people's representatives in the hall.

"Given my already silver hair, it fell to me to open the 48th NS. I've lived a long time, I've seen a lot, and I'm still looking for answers. As a little boy, I dreamed of discovering the world, fighting to become better and winning. I remember the humiliation and the change of names, the revolutionary impulse of the kindergarten in front of "Crystal", the frosty winter of 1997, the hunger strike of the Supreme Court, the protests, the songs and the people behind the microphones. Wisdom is born in memory, and it is built in memories. We changed our country, we overcame crises and fought disasters, we raised some and brought others down. And so, word by word, stone by stone, we built our lives", said Rashidov.

"And again we wonder how, why, where, we plunged into supportive arguments and spells, filled everything with insults and caused suffering, so please, colleagues - think. Aggression breeds only aggression, negation leads to negation of negation. So - how long? We often lose our direction, today is the electricity, tomorrow is the bread, confused in arguments we sink deeper and deeper into the familiar dystopia. Therefore, I urge you, colleagues - think! On the days when we face each other, let us remember that...