Bulgarian Parliament fails to hold extraordinary session due to lack of quorum

An extraordinary session of the Bulgarian National Assembly failed to proceed due to a lack of quorum. During the first registration attempt, only 87 members of parliament were present, and a second attempt saw the number drop to 80.

The session was scheduled to address a single agenda item: a hearing regarding medical findings and behavioral reports concerning Ognyan Atanasov in relation to his pardon under Decree No. 119 on December 5, 2022. The hearing was requested by Asen Vassilev and a group of MPs to investigate incidents from November 2022 and subsequent inspections.

Expected witnesses included Chief Commissioner Ivaylo Yordanov, head of the General Directorate ‘Execution of Punishments’, and Senior Commissioner Svetoslav Ivanov Penov, the head of the Sofia prison. Speaker Mihaila Dotova announced that subsequent registration attempts would be scheduled following the failed sessions.