The 50th National Assembly already has its first independent deputy - Kaloyan Metodiev, who entered from the lists of the BSP and became one of the bone of contention of the National Council of the Left last Saturday.
The strange case of Kaloyan Metodiev and his exclusion from the BSP parliamentary group at the first possible moment ended with him now being an independent MP. Thus, he became one of the fastest expelled MPs in parliamentary history. In front of NOVA, however, he was categorical - he remains an MP.
Already on Saturday, when the replacement of Cornelia Ninova was being elected at the head of the party, the socialists called on Kaloyan Metodiev to resign from his seat in the parliament. Otherwise, he was threatened with expulsion from the group. For some, the problem is that he was part of the youth SDS, for others - that his inclusion in the lists was not discussed in the party ranks.
„There was a constitutional precedent in my case. For the first time, a deputy becomes independent, is excluded or more specifically – "has not been registered as part of a parliamentary group, despite a decision of the CEC in the entire history of the transition for 35 years," independent MP Kaloyan Metodiev pointed out.
Metodiev claims that during the vote for his exclusion from the parliamentary group, there was pressure on his supporters. “It literally passed with one vote, as it was done with pressure on one of the attendees. Another walked up to her and I physically stood next to her with my hand up,” he added.
The independent MP did not name specific names. Although he was expelled from the BSP group, Kaloyan Metodiev does not intend to leave the National Assembly. “I am the second in number of preferences in Sofia. I have made a commitment to the voters of 25 MIRs, I have been fair, I have in no way attacked either the BSP party or the members in my constituency who worked for my election,” he stressed.
The BSP told NOVA that they will not comment on Kaloyan Metodiev's claims about what happened at the party meeting, nor on their decision to remove him.
Meanwhile, the swearing in of Nikolay Markov became possible after he was elected Speaker of the National Assembly. The procedure was previously blocked.
An official vote on the resignation of Hristo Ivanov and the appointment of a new deputy in his place is also expected.