Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Parliament votes in second reading to allow Bulgarians with dual citizenship to become MPs and ministers

Photo: БТА

MPs adopted amendments to the Constitution in the second of three readings. One of them limits the President's powers in choosing the composition of the caretaker government. The president will now have to appoint a prime minister from a list of people, and after criticism the head of the Supreme Court of Cassation was excluded from the list. The caretaker prime minister will therefore be chosen from among the speaker of the National Assembly, the governor or deputy governor of the Bulgarian National Bank, the president or deputy president of the National Audit Office and the ombudsman or his deputy. If all of the above refuse to take office, the caretaker cabinet will be elected by the National Assembly.
The majority in the National Assembly also approved other important changes to the country's Basic Law, allowing Bulgarian citizens who also hold another citizenship to be elected as ministers and MPs. A requirement of having lived in the country for 18 months will apply to MPs, but not to ministers. 
"Of all the EU countries, Bulgaria is the only one that does not give Bulgarian citizens this right. The time has come," argued Antoaneta Tsoneva of Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria (PP-DB). "They have drilled a huge hole in the national security system," said Atanas Zafirov of the opposition Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP). The opposition said that it would file a complaint against the constitutional changes.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Weather forecast for May 19: Sun in the morning, clouds and showers in the afternoon

On Monday, the lowest temperatures will range between 5°C and 10°C, around 5°C in Sofia. It will be mostly sunny in the morning, but around and after noon, cumulonimbus clouds will begin to form. Short showers are expected mainly in the mountain..

published on 5/18/25 6:35 PM
Bulgaria's Minister of Energy Zhecho Stankov

Bulgaria supplies electricity to North Macedonia and Serbia after power outages in the Balkans

We are helping North Macedonia and Serbia because of the breakdowns in their energy systems, Bulgaria’s Minister of Energy Zhecho Stankov announced at an emergency briefing following widespread power outages in the Balkans. “In the early hours..

published on 5/18/25 5:45 PM
Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov congratulates Pope Leo XIV on his inauguration

Premier Zhelyazkov congratulates Pope Leo XIV on his inauguration

Bulgaria’s Premier Rosen Zhelyazkov congratulated Pope Leo XIV after his inauguration as the leader of the Catholic Church. Rosen Zhelyazkov wished Pope Leo XIV health, longevity and wisdom. The two had a brief conversation after the official..

published on 5/18/25 5:04 PM