The parliamentary debate over proposed changes to the National Assembly’s rules of procedure has exposed a deep political divide in Bulgaria, with the ruling “Progressive Bulgaria” defending the reforms as efficiency-driven, while opposition forces warn they could weaken democratic oversight and limit parliamentary control.
Anton Kutev (PB) rejected accusations that the changes are aimed at restricting opposition rights. He argued that the intention is to improve the functionality of parliament and reduce procedural delays that, in his view, have undermined public trust. “We do not want to limit the opposition in any way. The legislative initiative is guaranteed by the Constitution. Everything we are changing is aimed at having faster, more effective legislation,” he said, stressing that the broader goal is to restore confidence in the institution and improve the quality of debate.
Kutev also linked the reforms to what he described as long-standing inefficiencies in parliamentary work, noting that repeated procedural adjustments in recent years have contributed to declining public confidence. According to him, the focus is on making debates more substantive and preventing procedural misuse rather than restricting political pluralism.
