The most senior Member of Parliament Mika Zaykova opened and is presiding over the first sitting of the 45^th National Assembly. “The people sent us to this hall to affect a change that will pull the country up from the bottom of all EU lists where it is now positioned,” said Mika Zaykova. The MPs took an oath to uphold the laws of this country and its constitution. Five MPs were placed under mandatory quarantine and were sworn in online. 

"In a letter to parliament, the government of Boyko Borissov submitted its resignation," Mika Zaykova announced.

“The MPs from the 45^th National Assembly are inheriting an institution in deep crisis,” said in his address President Rumen Radev.

“The previous National Assembly abdicated from parliamentary control. A corrupt practice was established of the bills of the executive being submitted by members of parliament so as to avoid any commitment to political responsibility by this branch,” Rumen Radev pointed out. “It is time to accede that the presidential veto is not an act of war against parliament, but a tool for improving the laws. It has fallen upon you to accomplish the mission of restoring parliamentarianism. The first tool will be the revival of genuine parliamentary control of the executive branch.”

Rumen Radev announced that he would be launching consultations for the formation of a new government on Monday, 19 April.

The leader of the biggest parliamentary group, that of the coalition GERB-SDS Desislava Atanasova stated that if their proposition for a cabinet is refused support the responsibility for stability and development will have to be taken by the second biggest party, that of Mr. Stanislav (Slavi) Trifonov and “the other formations - self-proclaimed agents of change”.

“We are prepared to reach out to our political opponents. The cost of the time wasted with a caretaker cabinet will be paid by all Bulgarian citizens,” Desislava Atanasova stated.

“We have a parliament that is different from any other previous parliament. Different because it is 6 months late in coming, and it is late because the previous government kept clinging to power and refusing to agree to early elections,” said Toshko Yordanov from the party There Is such a People (ITN).

“This parliament is hardly likely to survive its 4-year term. The principal task of this parliament is to amend the Election Code. Bulgarians abroad must be able to vote by mail, the Central Election Commission must be dissolved and a new commission elected, there must be video monitoring of the ballot count,” Toshko Yordanov said. 

“We are not going to support a GERB government, we are not going to make a broad coalition either,” said Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) leader Kornelia Ninova. “We would support a government of the party There Is Such a People.

We are on the brink of financial and political crisis. More than ever we need to demonstrate reason, instead of an office-holder kind of thinking. To us, membership of the EU is an irreversible, a top priority. It gives opportunities – the recovery and resilience facility, developing a high-tech economy and reducing inequality among citizens and among regions,” Kornelia Ninova added.

Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) leader Mustafa Karadayi stated that the three new parties in parliament hold 92 seats, which means they cannot form a majority.

According to Mustafa Karfadayi the country is inching closer to new elections, adding that his party is ready for them. But the MRF would support a government of the three new parties in parliament provided there is a clear policy agenda for the economic development of the country at an accelerated rate.

“We are setting ourselves the goal of early termination of the term of office of Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev, and then a reform of the Supreme Judicial Council,” said Hristo Ivanov, co-chairman of Democratic Bulgaria.

He pointed out that the National Assembly will only be able to affect part of the change, and it is to eliminate from power Boyko Borissov, GERB party and their perpetual partners in the consummation of power – the Movement for Rights and Freedoms.

Maya Manolova, chairperson of the parliamentary group of Stand Up! Thugs Out! enumerated their goals – a new government, a new prosecutor general and “a complete audit of the corrupt administration” by setting up an audit committee.

Maya Manolova added that they would introduce a 100% machine vote, remote, electronic voting for Bulgarians abroad, that they would clean up the electoral registers by introducing voter registration and replace the members of the election commissions. “We shall demand a replacement of the Council for Electronic Media and a change of management of public service national TV, BNT.”

Protesters welcomed the new members of the 45th Bulgarian National Assembly in front of the Parliament building. They called for the dissolution of the new Parliament, early general elections and a caretaker cabinet. The protesters also called for a full investigation of GERB’s governments, informed reporters of the Bulgarian National Radio.