The deputies tried to push through the changes to the Electoral Code for a second vote. The ruling majority's proposal to include the electoral legislation on the agenda as item one passed in the plenary hall with 116 votes "For", 107 votes "Against" and no abstentions. The proposal passed with the votes of GERB-SDF, DPS-New Beginning, BSP-United Left, ITN and the independent MPs.
Subsequently, however, Yordan Ivanov from PP-DB insisted on a re-vote, as well as a check of the quorum, calling on BSP-United Left to reconsider their vote so as not to "give them another thumbs down".
The chairman of the session of the National Assembly, Prof. Kostadin Angelov, accepted the procedural proposal to check the quorum made by PP-DB. He indicated that he would wait for the MPs to gather in the plenary hall, and the MPs from ‚Vazrazhdane" began chanting "Vremeto" and "Resignation".
As a result of the tension that arose in the plenary hall, Kostadin Angelov gave a 10-minute break.
For more than an hour, the opposition stood in the plenary hall and waited for the ruling party to gather. Even after the announced 10-minute break, there has been no parliamentary session for more than an hour. Meanwhile, while they are waiting for someone to appear in the hall, Yavor Bojankov from the PP-DB decided to joke by taking the chairman's seat.
The MP from „We continue the change – Democratic Bulgaria“ (PP-DB) Atanas Atanasov stated that the chairman can no longer resume the meeting, which was interrupted after a disturbance of order in the hall.
„You see what an unprecedented situation we are facing and the rules must be followed“, he stated on the sidelines of the parliament.
Atanasov cited para. 4 of art. 46 of the rules of procedure of the National Assembly. „When upon inspection it is established that there are not enough deputies in the plenary hall – in cases of interruption, the chairman may resume the meeting, but not later than one hour within working hours. An hour and a half has passed since the meeting was interrupted and in this situation the chairman can no longer resume it“, he claimed.
And he specified that a Chairman's Council was held in the morning, but a new one has not been convened. The MP explained that 120 MPs had registered in the plenary hall before the break.
“We are standing inside the hall and wondering about the situation we are in. The text of the rules is categorical - in practice the session has been suspended“, concluded the MP.