Only the president can say what his real motives are for requesting a referendum on the euro. What is clear from his team, from Natalia Kiselova, now the Speaker of the Parliament, she was his legal advisor on constitutional issues and Krum Zarkov was his current legal advisor, and both said that this is unconstitutional. Krum Zarkov left his legal team, said in an interview with the Bulgarian National Radio, PP-DB co-chairman Assen Vassilev and former Finance Minister.
"From now on, all other conversations stop. If he really had a desire to ask the Bulgarian people, well, we asked the Bulgarian people 7 times in the last two and a half years. The declaration of support for the euro was signed by 171 MPs," explained Vassilev.
For him, the referendum is unconstitutional and "the other thing is that the Bulgarian people have made their decision by electing their representatives in parliament."
He explained that the Constitutional Court has already made its decision and there is no way it can make a decision within a week and "that would have blocked the date":
"So this was direct sabotage and that is why it was approached in this way. The Constitutional Court has ruled and there is no need for the National Assembly to consider the issue."
Vassilev was categorical that the PP-DB could not have participated in the decision of the Speaker of the National Assembly Natalia Kiselova not to discuss the referendum in the National Assembly:
"Because it is a decision of the Speaker of the Parliament, it was neither issued by us, nor can we influence it."
On the accusations of "Vazrazhdane" that the PP-DB is afraid to ask the people, he said:
"The people have been asked 7 times. No other party in the 3 years since its establishment has been in elections 7 times. In any parliament, there was not even a vote on supporting the euro – 171 out of 240. We are talking about a supra-constitutional majority, and we need 160 for a constitutional majority and the people have spoken."
Vassilev stated that what is happening in Sofia with the strike of the public transport is sabotage.
"The protests are not union, but politically motivated and reasonable actions must be taken to solve the problems of the people and to adequately respond to the political Neanderthalism", commented the co-chairman of PP-DB and confirmed that they openly stand in support of the mayor of Sofia Vasil Terziev.
According to Vassilev, public transport in Sofia should not receive a subsidy:
"What is happening at the moment and receiving a subsidy from the transport without providing a service is not only unreasonable, but I would argue also illegal. Because if they don't provide a service to Sofia residents, they have nothing to receive a subsidy for. And this money can be redirected. Third, these municipal companies, subordinate to the Municipal Administration, should be inspected by inspectorates and external auditors. And they should look at all the expenses for external services - the price of fuel, people who only sign for a salary and do nothing. From my experience in the state administration, I know that when you enter a state or municipal company, there are about 10 - 30% of the money that flows out."
Assen Vassilev rejected the accusations about the budget that because of him there are 5 billion leva unpaid.
"This is a lie, a lie, a lie!. If there were such expenses, the deficit on an accrual basis last year should have been around 5.5%. Eurostat came up with data that the deficit is 3%, the same as the cash deficit. Which means that there are no unpaid expenses", he explained.
*In June 2016, Natalia Kiselova was appointed as the Secretary for Correctional Affairs to President Rumen Radev