On Friday, President Rosen Plevneliev held another round of consultations with the Bulgarian parties represented in the National Assembly and in the European Parliament demanding an update of the state budget in the last days of this parliament. Three days earlier, on Tuesday, the update was actually passed at first reading with the votes of center-right Gerb Party and of the predominantly Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms. After that however, Gerb, in a surprising move, gave up debates of the second reading in the wake of criticism that the party had made a shameful alliance with MRF, its opponent until very recently. The nationalist party Ataka has not taken part in any parliamentary debates for more than a month and passing the budget update is now mostly up to Gerb. The MRF favors the update and the Bulgarian Socialist Party opposes it with the argument that it would be unwise to entrust close 1.7. Billion euro to the future caretaker cabinet that will not be subject to parliamentary control. The latest consultations at the president have suggested that a second reading of the budget update might take place on 4 August, Monday. Gerb leader Boyko Borissov has hinted a possible new change in the party’s stance by expressing readiness to move to another compromise and vote the bill on the update which, paradoxically, is the work of the outgoing BSP government. The right of center Reformist Bloc has in practice revised its negative position to the update and has in this way indirectly played down criticism of Gerb’s coalition with MRF. The MRF in turn confirmed it still supported the update. So, ahead of the extraordinary session in parliament on Monday, things look clear and the scales are tipped in favor of a state budget update. With so many tactical maneuvers however, clarity is relative and any tactical move looks like the last-but one: at least until the parliamentary debate on Monday that will also give the start to the election campaign in Bulgaria.

English Daniela Konstantinova