I recognize the President's right to defend the Constitution, the question raised against the personal decision of the Speaker of the National Assembly to not allow the President's proposal for a referendum will have to receive an answer from the Constitutional Court. This was stated by Vice President Iliana Yotova to journalists after Head of State Rumen Radev announced earlier today that she would refer the matter to the Constitutional Court due to Natalia Kiselova's order not to allow his request for a referendum on the euro.
"This is the institution that must say whether a proposal, a law is unconstitutional or not, so we will await the court's decision", the Vice President added.
According to Yotova, a week after the Head of State announced that he would propose to the deputies to discuss holding a referendum on the introduction of the euro in Bulgaria, people's fears had not been dispelled. She also said that she had expected instead of the “anti-Radev” hysteria to actually hear arguments that would reassure Bulgarian citizens when introducing the euro, what the risks will be, and what the great opportunities this process will give us.
Regarding the decision of the deputies to allow households to remain on the regulated electricity market for an indefinite period, Iliyana Yotova explained that although at first glance this is good for Bulgarian citizens, it instilled fear in her - fear of price increases.
“I heard that whatever the increase after July 1, Bulgarian citizens - household consumers, will be compensated by the Energy Security Fund. But I ask the question - do today's rulers remember that just a few months ago, all of us, Bulgarian citizens, were convinced for weeks, days on end, that Bulgaria was ready for electricity liberalization. Now, why did it suddenly turn out that we were not? When were we lied to - then or now?, Yotova asked. She also recalled that in January the Fund had to be supplemented by the government because there were not enough funds in it.
The vice president described the discussion about the natural gas supply contract with the Turkish company "Botaş" as entirely political and directed entirely against the presidential institution and against the president. According to her, the contract could have been very profitable, but there was a series of wrong actions by the then government.
„They convince us that it cannot be changed, but I have already begun to have doubts about the capabilities of those who are leading the negotiations for its change“, the vice president also commented.