The first draft for new changes in the Electoral Code is already on the table. The author is GERB party, and the texts are entirely in favour of the ethnic Turk Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF). The MPS led by ex-PM Borissov offered the composition of the Electoral Commission to be redesigned so that the MRF may get a third quota it previously gave up from leaving it to GERB. „A conflict can be overcome only if the number of members in the Central Electoral Commission coming from the parliamentary parties is an even number,“ said in its reasons the opposition, stating that in the new arrangements the committee will consist of 18 people, of which GERB has seven members, the socialists six, MRF three and Ataka nationalist party – two.
The said number of 18 people, however, will almost certainly become another bone of contention, because the people of Mr. Borisov failed to include the two representatives of NMS and the Blue Coalition. Their specific proposal is that the electoral code mention the number of representatives in the committee coming from parliamentary parties. Together with the people of formations with MEPs, the overall composition of the body actually increases to 20 members. If the specification is not clearly defined in the Code, MPs, and even the presidential institution can make their own interpretation and instead implement subtraction, allocating quotas on party composition of 16 members only.
GERB promised not to use their blocking quota and not to stop any future work of the committee, but so far there is no guarantee that they will keep their word. As the BANKER wrote, CEC acts by a majority of two thirds or just 13 people, which means that any decision making will need the decisive vote of at least one GERB member.
The BANKER
