Sergey Stanishev

The government of Prime Minister Plamen Oresharski is to remain in office exactly until the day marking two months before the early elections, DPS leader Lyutvi Mestan announced.

Bulgaria's Parliament is to convene on Tuesday, with a proposal to hold a referendum on voting rules set a single issue on the agenda.

Lawmakers were initially poised to discuss on Thursday a referendum petition allowing citizens to have their say on majority elections system, mandatory voting, and e-voting, but lack of quorum hindered the session.

Sofia City Court is to make Monday a third attempt to begin a trial against Sergey Stanishev, former Prime Minister and ruling socialists' leader.

Stanishev, who was Bulgaria's Prime Minister (2005-2009) and is to serve as MEP for some weeks, is accused of having lost seven secret documents from Bulgarian institutions and NATO which were confided to him while he was in office.

Monika Stanisheva, the partner of socialist leader Sergey Stanishev, is under investigation over the notorious Hochegger affair, Bulgaria's Chief Prosecutor confirmed.

Sotir Tsatsarov told reporters she had already been interrogated by police in relation to a report by the so-called "Hochegger Committee" operating within the previous Parliament.

Co-ruling Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS)'s leader Lyutvi Mestan described compulsory voting as a "cynical" idea that would bring harm to Bulgarian politics.

"Mandatory voting will hurt the DPS. It also hurt the political system and will not treat, but only deepen its defects," private channel bTV quoted Mestan as saying before entering Parliament Thursday.

Bulgarian MPs are to discuss two proposals for a national referendum.

Prime Minister Plamen Oresharski has said he is ready to stand down on Tuesday next week, a Bulgarian private channel reports, citing sources.

According to bTV, he will deliver his resignation after attending a meeting of the Consultative Council for National Security called by President Rosen Plevneliev at which politicians are to set a date for early elections.

Rumen Yonchev, a former socialist lawmaker and now officially independent, has introduced a bill envisaging election legislation amendments that favour mandatory voting.

His move comes after the ruling Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP)'s leader Sergey Stanishev voiced his proposal that Bulgaria make it compulsory for its citizens to cast a ballot.

Bulgaria's Deputy Parliament Speaker Maya Manolova reaffirmed that the early elections should be as soon as possible, but July would not be a reasonable option.

"The elections should take place as soon as possible. Technically though, they cannot be in July. It is not Stanishev, but the President who has to appoint the date", Manolova said, quoted by Standartnews.

Bulgaria's Parliament is to discuss Wednesday the fifth no-confidence vote against the socialist-led government of Prime Minister Plamen Oresharski.

The fifth no-confidence motion is based on the failed financial policy of the Cabinet.