MPS reject Borisov’s new constitution bid
SOFIA: Bulgarian lawmakers rejected on Wednesday a proposal by embatled conservative Prime Minister Boyko Borisov to initiate the adoption of a new constitution.
Borisov offered a rewriting of the country’s fundamental law in mid-august in an atempt to end weeks of sometimes violent street protests.
The rallies called for the resignation of Borisov’s cabinet and of chief prosecutor Ivan Geshev, accusing them of being dependent on behind-the-scenes oligarchs.
Experts however said that the proposal — which offered to halve the number of lawmakers, but failed to curb the almost unlimited powers of the chief prosecutor — did not offer any substantial tools to make those in power more transparent and accountable.
It was also immediately rejected by protesters. The proposal had litle chance of success as Borisov’s conservative GERB party and his nationalist allies lack the two-thirds majority in parliament needed to push it through.
Many analysts therefore saw it as an atempt to buy time and cling to office until general elections due in March 2021. During the parliamentary vote on Wednesday, only 110 lawmakers backed the call for elections to a Supreme National Assembly — the only institution that has the power to drat and adopt a new constitution.
Some 160 would have needed to approve it for the proposal to be adopted.
Borisov did not atend the debate in parliament. Bulgaria’ s government announced on wednesday a return to tough er restrictions, closing restaurants and schools in the face of a surge in infections and deaths as the country endures a second wave of coronavirus.
“New anti-epidemic measures are coming into force from November 27 until December 21,” Health Minister Kostadin Angelov told a news conference ater a government meeting early Wednesday.
Cafes and restaurants had remained open even as infection and death rates peaked over the past two weeks, but they will now close along with casinos, fitness studios and shopping centres. Universities and schools will switch fully to distance learning, and kindergartens will close. Theatres will be allowed to operate at 30 per cent capacity, while restaurants will be allowed to sell takeaway meals only.
Churches and other places of worship will however stay open, and unlike during Bulgaria’s tough lockdown in the spring, the government will not shut public parks and gardens or limit travel.