GERB, Reformist Bloc Postpone Tabling of Draft Constitutional Changes to Next Week

Sofia, May 22 (BTA) - GERB and the Reformist Bloc have postponed
 to next week the tabling of their draft constitutional changes
related to the judicial reform. They were initially expected to
submit the bill on Friday.

GERB Floor Leader Tsvetan Tsvetanov told journalists in
Parliament that the postponement was aimed at allowing some
colleagues, who wanted to sign in favour of the bill's
submission but for one reason or another were absent, to put
their signatures under the formal proposal. Around 125
signatures have been collected thus far - from GERB, the
Reformist Bloc, the Patriotic Front and 8 MPs of the Bulgarian
Democratic Centre. The required minimum number is 60 signatures.

In Tsvetanov's words, it is important to have dialogue and seek
political consensus also with the other parliamentary groups,
and more talks will be held  with the political forces which do
not back the bill at present.
       
Earlier on Friday, ABV Deputy  Chair Roumen Petkov told a news
conference that the MPs of ABV will not join the tabling of the
draft constitutional changes in Parliament. In Petkov's words, 
the bill contains ideas which are mutually exclusive with those
set in the draft amendments to the Judiciary Act  already tabled
 by ABV. This parliamentary group's bill is the  product of a
wide public and professional discussion and ABV  will not give
up on it, he said. 

Petkov recalled that ABV has also put forward a proposal for 
establishing a Judicial Reform Council with the National 
Assembly, where the future reform can be discussed in dept. This
   idea has received broad support from MPs but no progress has
  been made on it yet, he noted.
   
"We declare our will to participate in a constructive debate on
  the constitutional changes, but we will not join a debate
going   beyond the topic of amendments to the Constitution
outside of   the Judiciary's sphere," Petkov said. According to
him, part of   the ideas for constitutional revisions are within
 the powers  of  a Grand National Assembly.

Reformist Bloc Co-Floor Leader Radan Kanev told journalists that
 the judicial reforms will take place with or without
constitutional changes. If the reforms are introduced through
the Constitution, this would be a sign of stability and
society's unity and will guarantee that the amendments will
remain in force over time, he said.

"We are in constant dialogue with ABV, they support most of the
measures but do not wish to be among the parties tabling the
bill," Kanev explained. According to him, the draft
constitutional changes' fate will be decided during the debates
in Parliament. He underscored that from this moment onwards, the
 constitutional majority will be a matter of difficult
negotiations, debates in the parliamentary committee and then in
 the plenary chamber.
   
Kanev forecast that the bill will not be supported by the
Movement for Rights and Freedoms and that 90 per cent of
Bulgarians want the constitutional revisions.

Ataka leader Volen Siderov told journalists in Parliament that
he is ready to talk about the draft constitutional changes if
GERB and the Reformist Bloc invite him. He  added,  however,
that he prefers a national referendum to be held  before
amending the Basic Law or other acts important for Bulgaria.
This requires changes in the law on referenda because it is
unrealistic when it comes to the number of signatures   required
 for initiating a referendum.

Siderov recalled that according to his party, the draft
constitutional amendments are aimed at establishing control over
  the Supreme Judicial Council because it appoints prosecutors
and judges. The Ataka parliamentary group is strongly reserved 
towards the proposed revisions also because these are not 
explained well enough and because Tsvetan Tsvetanov has not
invited Ataka to debates on the bill. If  invited to such a
meeting, Ataka would ask whether the proposed  amendments do not
 lead to a Grand National Assembly, Siderov  said in explanation
 of how the power holders should approach his  party if they
want its support.
   
According to Siderov, the draft constitutional changes should be
  debated not within a committee but in a wider and more open 
format with the participation of magistrates and media.