Lack of quorum: MPs failed to decide on the vote of no confidence

The Parliament found itself in a stalemate at a time when it had to vote on the motion of no confidence in the government on November 16.

Shofrtly before the no confidence motion was put to the vote, MPs rejected GERB's proposal to abolish the derogation for importing Russian oil in the country within three days after the proposed changes to the law to cancel the derogation get promulgated in the State Gazette. This provoked MPs from GERB-UDF and MRF to leave the plenary.

Parliament rejected the proposal for abolition of the derogation for the import of Russian oil

Images by Dessislava Kulelieva

The MPs voted on the motion and it was rejected, but the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) demanded a revote, citing the absence of GERB-UDF and MRF from the chamber.

Parliament Speaker, Rosen Zhelyazkov, announced a 15-minute break, after which he checked the quorum at the request of the BSP. 64 Members of Parliament registered. Due to the lack of quorum, a new break followed.

After it, the Speaker of the Parliament checked again and there was no quorum as only 63 MPs registered. The sitting was adjourned.

MPs were due to vote on the vote of no confidence at 13.55 today, November 16, exactly 24 hours after the end of the debates on it. However, MPs decided to postpone the vote until a decision on the derogation was taken, after which the stalemate was reached.

The motion of no confidence is expected to be re-voted tomorrow.

It was tabled on November 8 with the signatures of BSP for Bulgaria, “Vazrazhdane” and “There is Such a People” over the cabinet’s policy in defence and national security.

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This is the second no-confidence motion against the cabinet led by Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov.

The first was over the government's energy policy.

The government survived the first vote of no confidence on October 13.