Sat, Feb 11 2012

Borissov’s GERB, socialists exchange sniper fire in Parliament

Fri, Oct 16 2009 14:47 CET

byClive Leviev-Sawyer

1986 Views
Borissov’s GERB, socialists exchange sniper fire in Parliament

THAT WAS THEN: The July 27 2009 handover-of-power ceremony at which Boiko Borissov succeeded Sergei Stanishev as prime minister.

Photo: Assen Tonev

Sparks flew in Parliament on October 16 2009 when Bulgarian Socialist Party leader Sergei Stanishev read out a statement that Bulgarians would get poorer in 2010 and Prime Minister Boiko Borissov’s party GERB was wasting time on politicking – prompting GERB to hit back at what it outlined as the failures of the previous government that Stanishev had led.
 
The exchange happened at the start of weekly Question Time, Bulgarian National Television reported, when Stanishev said in a declaration that the Government should develop a governance programme.
 
The socialist leader, whose party was roundly defeated by Borissov in the July 2009 national parliamentary elections, ending Stanishev’s time as prime minister, said that GERB and the Government were continuing to behave like a campaign headquarters, and not like a government.
 
GERB MPs shot back that the BSP was trying to turn the day for Question Time into the day for political statements.
 
They objected to the BSP saying that Parliament was doing no work because the Cabinet was failing to table legislation, responding that during Stanishev’s term of office, Parliament had failed to approve required laws.
 
GERB’s parliamentary group, in its own statement, called on MPs of all political groups not to serve their own partisan interests but to work to improve the image of Bulgaria.
 
The GERB declaration said that much energy and effort was needed to uncover the consequences of the "criminal governance" of the Stanishev cabinet.
 
Speaking to journalists, Borissov said that the BSP was due to hold a national congress soon and Stanishev was trying to save his skin, Bulgarian news agency Focus said.
 
Borissov said that the Stanishev government had failed to come up with the money for its big-ticket acquisitions such as frigates, helicopters and government aircraft – a reference to deals done by the previous government that the Borissov administration has, wholly or in part, cancelled.
 
The BSP government had drained public coffers so much that there was no money to pay salaries, Borissov said.
 
 

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