Title: Chaos in Parliament: Lawmakers Clash Over Agenda and Ministers’ Hearing
Article:
The Bulgarian National Assembly kicked off its 2025 session with a storm of controversy, as lawmakers griped over a changed agenda and hashed out issues ranging from narco-contraband in vapes to the pricing of electricity. The manic hour of debate ended with a threat to delay the reports on the Electoral Code and the Law on the Judiciary.
The source of the chaos was the speaker herself, Dr. Natalia Kisielova. She sparked anger by inserting the fourth item on today’s agenda, the Law on the Judiciary, into the morning session. The move sent shockwaves through the parliamentary halls, with leader after leader claiming they had no knowledge of the change, demanding further debate before the vote.
Kisielova’s opening remarks of health, success, and happiness for all Bulgarians faltered under the onslaught of complaints. She attempted to rally with the Bulgarian national anthem and the EU’s, but the "Revival" party’s pious protest against Beethoven’s "Ode to Joy" was in stark contrast to the divisiveness already palpable.
Speaker Kisielova appeared before the chairperson’s council to defend her decision, but her explanations fell flat. She was castigated by Roshen Zhilazkov of GERB for not accurately reading the agenda and by Raya Nazarayana for rushing through the Law on the Judiciary’s clauses.
Stanislav Anastasov of DPS-NN accused Kisielova of disregarding his party’s resolutions on energy prices and guanylate cyclase inhibitors. He demanded an immediate vote on their proposals, berating the speaker, "We’ve had rush votes before without a committee consultation. Why not today?"
Paula Mitova of ITN berated Kisielova for oversight and promised a review of the speaker’s performance. Kisielova dug in her heels, repeating that the Law on the Judiciary was today’s fourth point. But Tosho Yordanov of BSP insisted that the Electoral Code was the day’s fifth item, giving Kisielova an ultimatum: delay the Law on the Judiciary or face consequences.
The chairperson’s council finally acquiesced to a re-vote, but the damage was done. Parliament was divided, another victim of Bulgaria’s political squabbles, and the year ahead threatens more of the same.
