National Assembly

Defense Minister Yaşar Güler welcomed his Kosovar counterpart, Ejup Maqedonci, to the capital Ankara on Jan. 29.

The meeting commenced with the customary playing of national anthems, followed by Maqedonci's salute to the ceremonial unit, highlighting the diplomatic protocol observed during high-level encounters.

In a recent development, Boyko Borissov has taken the helm as the chairman of the parliamentary group of GERB-SDS, as announced by the Speaker of the Parliament, Rosen Zhelyazkov, at the group's meeting. This decision was reached during discussions among representatives from GERB SDS.

An Azerbaijan parliamentary commission called Thursday for the expulsion of French companies from the oil-rich country, including energy giant TotalEnergies, in the latest deterioration of relations between Baku and Paris.

Azerbaijan has repeatedly hit out at France for criticising Baku's Karabakh offensive last year, and for plans by Paris officials to help arm neighbouring Armenia.

As the National Assembly commenced its first session for 2024, political parties seized the opportunity to articulate their assessments and expectations for the upcoming political season. Each party presented declarations outlining their visions and priorities for the nation.

In a landmark session on Wednesday, Bulgaria's Parliament decisively passed a bill amending and supplementing the country's Constitution. The pivotal amendment, moved by GERB-SDS, We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (WCC-DB), and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) on July 28, received a resounding 165-71 vote, with one abstention.

During the second round of readings on constitutional amendments, the Bulgarian Parliament voted to permit individuals with dual citizenship to be elected as Members of Parliament (MPs) if they've resided in the country for the past 18 months.

In the Republic of Serbia, the concluding phase of the electoral campaign is in full swing for the extraordinary parliamentary elections, extraordinary elections for the Assembly of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, and extraordinary local elections for the capital city of Belgrade, along with an additional 65 local self-governments.

With the upcoming changes to the Constitution and the limitation of the uncontrollable presidential power through the caretaker government, Bulgaria will come closer to a true parliamentary republic.

In a contentious session at the Bulgarian Parliament, MPs voted 66-61 in favor of supporting Nikolai Denkov's government. However, moments before the no-confidence motion was put to vote, Members of Parliament from GERB-SDS and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) vacated the chamber.

In a decisive move, Bulgarian deputies have rejected proposals to lower the threshold for holding referendums in the country. The National Assembly, in a session today, dismissed the draft law on amendments to the Law on Direct Participation of Citizens in State Power and Local Self-Government, as put forth by the party "There Is Such A People" (TISP).