Bulgarian PM calls for constitution overhaul in bid to quell protests
The Bulgarian prime minister, Boyko Borissov, has called for an overhaul of the constitution in an apparent effort to defuse weeks of anti-government protests by mostly younger Bulgarians weary of endemic corruption in the EU member state.
The three-times premier promised to resign if lawmakers approved his call for the election of a grand national assembly tasked with drafting amendments aimed, among other things, at improving the efficiency of the muchcriticised judiciary.
Thousands of Bulgarians have been rallying in central Sofia since early July to demand the resignation of Borissov and the chief prosecutor, Ivan Geshev. Hundreds have set up tents on three major intersections in the capital.
“It is time not only to change the political system but to restart the country,” Borissov, leader of the centre-right
GERB party, said in a televised national address on Friday.
“The unity, statesmanship and stability of the country are not just words for me,” the 61-year-old said, adding that he understood the protesters’ frustration but said it was being exploited by various political factions and local oligarchs.
The protesters swiftly dismissed his plan as an empty gesture and vowed to continue their campaign.
“The statement of Boyko Borissov, who has still not resigned, is yet another attempt to win time and shows fear,” three informal leaders of the protests, who call themselves the Poisonous Trio, said in a statement.
The protesters accuse Borissov of eroding state institutions to serve the interests of private business and say Geshev has failed to bring any corrupt high-level officials to account.
Transparency International ranks Bulgaria as the most corrupt country in the 27-nation EU.
Two-thirds of Bulgaria’s 240 deputies need to vote to approve calling an election for a grand national assembly, and it is not clear whether Borrisov will be able to muster enough support.
Borissov’s constitutional amendments would cut the mandate of the chief prosecutor to five years from seven and overhaul Bulgaria’s top judicial body to boost its independence and the accountability of prosecutors and judges. It would also halve the number of parliamentary deputies to 120.
Political analysts said Borissov’s plan could strengthen his position. “If parliament approves it, it is good for him – he can quit with dignity. If it does not, he gets credit at least for trying. He also gains time and stays in office while taking over the main goals of the protests,” said the analyst Parvan Simeonov.
Borissov has previously said his coalition government should serve its full four-year term until next March to avoid plunging Bulgaria into “political chaos” during the coronavirus pandemic.