Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05SOFIA1339
2005-07-26 12:46:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Sofia
Cable title:  

BULGARIA: OPPOSITION WALKOUT BLOCKS VOTE ON

Tags:  PGOV BU 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SOFIA 001339 

SIPDIS


SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV BU
SUBJECT: BULGARIA: OPPOSITION WALKOUT BLOCKS VOTE ON
SOCIALIST-LED MINORITY GOVERNMENT

Ref: (A) SOFIA 1036, (B) SOFIA 1325, (C) SOFIA 1329

UNCLAS SOFIA 001339

SIPDIS


SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV BU
SUBJECT: BULGARIA: OPPOSITION WALKOUT BLOCKS VOTE ON
SOCIALIST-LED MINORITY GOVERNMENT

Ref: (A) SOFIA 1036, (B) SOFIA 1325, (C) SOFIA 1329


1. (SBU) SUMMARY. A coordinated walkout by every member of
the opposition to Bulgaria's proposed Socialist-led
government forced parliament to adjourn July 26 without
voting on the new cabinet. While the Socialists and their
junior coalition partner may still be in the race, their
odds are significantly worse than they were yesterday. The
BSP leadership and even President Purvanov were visibly
shaken by the unexpectedly vociferous and united opposition
to the proposed Socialist government. A new session to vote
on the cabinet is scheduled for July 27 at 09:00 a.m.
Judging by today's events, if the Socialist-led coalition
does manage to squeak into government, it will have to fight
hard for every vote in the legislative battles to come. END
SUMMARY.


2. (U) The Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) and its junior
coalition partner, the mainly ethnic-Turkish Movement for
Rights and Freedoms (MRF),with only 116 MPs in the 240-seat
parliament, are facing an unexpectedly difficult time
garnering support for their proposed cabinet (Refs B, C).
The Socialists, who unveiled the government line-up July 24,
planned to request an anonymous vote in order to win support
from individual MPs from other parties. However, the
opposition -- outgoing PM Simeon Saxe-Coburg's party, three
center-right groups and extreme nationalist party Ataka --
raised numerous procedural objections before finally
abandoning the plenary hall. MPs from the BSP/MRF were thus
left without the quorum needed to continue the session.



3. (SBU) The opposition said it walked out to protest the
procedural moves of Parliament Speaker Georgi Pirinski, and
they demanded his resignation. However, their unexpectedly
united front today may have reinvigorated their
determination to block the formation of this government at
any cost.

4, (SBU) COMMENT. If the Socialists fail to win the July 27
vote, President Purvanov will ask Simeon's party, as the
second biggest group in parliament, to form a government
(Ref A). If this attempt fails, Bulgaria may face early
elections, an outcome all parties agree would be a threat to
the country's on-time EU accession. Early elections might
also allow the extreme nationalist Ataka party to build on
its current momentum. The Socialists will be undoubtedly
highlight both threats before tomorrow's vote.