National Assembly

The Bulgarian parliament will convene at its first plenary sitting for the new year on Wednesday.

Bulgarian MPs enjoyed 25 days of holiday after going into Christmas recess on December 19 last year.

The parliamentary represented parties are expected to outline their priorities for the new political season.

Six MPs of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS), the second largest opposition party in the Bulgarian parliament, submitted requests for leaving the parliamentary group of DPS.

This was announced by the administration of the parliament, Darik radio informs.

Lyutvi Mestan, the ousted leader of Bulgaria's Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) will formally exit the parliamentary group of the opposition centrist party to become an independent member of Parliament on Monday.

53 prosecutors who will serve in basic and higher prosecutions on Monday took their oath of office in front of National Assembly President Maja Gojkovic.

These prosecutors were elected several days ago, during the current session of parliament.

An association of farmers and the provincial government of Vojvodina at noon on Thursday staged a protest in front of the national assembly in Belgrade.

They are opposed to proposed changes to the law on state ownership of farming land, that is currently debated by deputies.

Lyutvi Mestan has been dismissed as chairman of Bulgaria's DPS party, bTV reported on Thursday.

Mestan has also been expelled from the DPS' parliamentary group and from the party, bTV quoted a DPS spokeswoman as saying following an urgently convened ad-hoc meeting of the party's Central Council.

The Bulgarian parliament will vote on Friday on the appointment of Ekaterina Zaharieva, who has been nominated as the country's new justice minister.

Prime Minister Boyko Borisov presented Zaharieva to the Council of Ministers on Wednesday.

Bulgarian Parliament approved at third reading on Wednesday the amendments to the constitution concerning the reform of the judiciary.

The amendments were overwhelmingly approved with 189 MPs voting in favour, 39 lawmakers against, while 1 abstained.

The Bulgarian parliament will discuss the amendments to the constitution concerning the reform of the judiciary at a second reading on Wednesday.

In order for the amendments to be adopted, ¾ of MPs or 180 lawmakers have to vote in favour.

At the first reading, which took place on September 23, 184 MPs voted in favour of the amendments.

Venezuela's opposition won control of congress for the first time in 16 years on Dec. 7 as voters punished the socialist government for an economic crisis and insecurity in the oil-rich nation.

President Nicolas Maduro promptly accepted the defeat, a blow to his leadership and the "revolution" of "21st century socialism" launched by his late predecessor Hugo Chavez.