SOFIA, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Volen Siderov, leader of the nationalist Ataka party, on Tuesday put the election of new Bulgarian government under question, leaving the door open for new early parliamentary elections.
"Ataka will not back any government at this configuration of this parliament," Siderov said at the first session of the just-elected National Assembly where the until recently ruling GERB party has 97 legislators at the 240-seat parliament, followed by Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) with 84, ethnic Turkish party DPS with 36 and Ataka with 23.
"We can have nothing in common with DPS, which is an unconstitutional party, and the people gave the power neither to GERB nor the BSP," he added.
According to the Bulgarian Constitution, the National Assembly shall pass laws and elect government by a majority of more than one-half of the present legislators. Therefore, this parliament can not elect a government if all the members of Ataka and GERB parliamentary groups participate in the voting.
However, at the election of the parliament speaker shortly thereafter, Ataka party did not participate in the voting, and Mihail Mikov from BSP was elected by his fellow party members and DPS, while GERB voted against.
Meanwhile, Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev told lawmakers that the country "is in a combination of economic, social, political and parliamentary crisis."
He hoped the parliament would soon elect a government, he said.
"The major problems faced by the nation are the problem with people's perception of a lack of sufficient solidarity and justice in the society, low public confidence in politicians, the problem of income and demographic problem," Plevneliev said.
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