Bulgarian protests

The right-wing party "Revival" (Vazrazhdane) has once again failed in its attempt to initiate a referendum aimed at preserving the Bulgarian lev. The proposal for a national poll asking, "Do you agree that the Bulgarian lev should be the only official currency in Bulgaria until 2043?" was rejected.

During consultations with Bulgarian President Rumen Radev, Kostadin Kostadinov, leader of the Bulgarian right-wing party "Revival" (Vazrazhdane), expressed optimism about the possibility of forming a government in the current parliament. He emphasized a potential coalition formula involving parties other than GERB and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS), totaling 125 mandates.

On Monday, Bulgarian President Rumen Radev will announce the date for convening the first session of the 50th National Assembly. He made this statement to journalists in Kazanlak.

Regarding GERB leader Boyko Borissov's proposal for an expert cabinet, Radev commented:

In a tense political climate, the proposed cabinet formation by acting Prime Minister candidate Dimitar Glavchev has ignited controversy and accusations from various political quarters. The unveiling of the draft structure and composition of the Council of Ministers took place amidst consultations attended by the head of state, Rumen Radev, and representatives from parliamentary factions.

President Rumen Radev has been actively engaging with all potential candidates for the interim prime minister position within a span of just two days. Despite public declarations of willingness to adhere to constitutional procedures and the President's decision, none of the candidates expressed a clear desire to take on the responsibility.

President Rumen Radev expressed his concerns about the limited options available for selecting a caretaker prime minister, highlighting the challenges in the appointment process. The President's remarks came amid discussions to appoint a caretaker government and schedule new elections within two months, as mandated by Article 99 of the Constitution.

As the 49th National Assembly gears up for the next phase of government formation, President Rumen Radev is scheduled to commence consultations with political parties on Monday. This crucial step marks the beginning of the process wherein the President will hand over the first exploratory mandate to form a government to a candidate nominated by the largest parliamentary group, GERB.

President Rumen Radev has made a bold move by referring the recent revisions to the Bulgarian Constitution to the Constitutional Court, citing concerns over their constitutionality and their potential impact on the country's governance.

Boyko Borisov chose to cast his vote with a paper ballot in Bankya today.

"Is there a functioning machine, or are there none left?" Borisov jokingly asked the members of the Electoral Commission upon entering. He then emphasized that, given the recent events in Sofia and Varna, he preferred to vote with a paper ballot.

At 12 o'clock today in Sofia and Varna, thousands of people came out to protest against the last-minute cancellation of machine voting - something for which the so-called "paper coalition" has been insisting for over a year.