Bulgarian MPs quarantined after colleague tests positive for COVID-19
A week back Parliament voted to suspend its session except for emergency sittings. A few crucial legislations call for such a meeting but as MP Hasan Ademov tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday, all MPs have been quarantined. They are undergoing tests at the moment but MPs still have to establish a model to work without overcrowding.
As the constitution clearly states half MPs must be present for a sitting to be legitimate, and MPs vote in a certain way, options are limited. Even if MPs develop a system to vote and debate from a distance, legislation passed this way will be susceptible to annulment in court. In the meantime, the government also suggested today that the emergency measures due to the coronavirus should be extended for another month – until May 13, which will further amount to the pressure on MPs to find a feasible solution to the possible inability for them to physically meet and vote. The debates may be conducted online, but voting will prove a challenge from a judicial standpoint. Ironically, an extension of the state of emergency, which the Cabinet has requested, also needs to be passed by Parliament.
An idea MPs are currently discussing is to open a sitting with only enough attendees to establish quorum, then return to the other Parliament building, where all the offices are, debate online and vote with a paper ballot in a hall in the building one by one. must be passed as soon as possible, including amendments to the Energy Act and important changes to the budget due to the coronavirus crisis.
Meanwhile, Bulgaria registered the ninth death from coronavirus on Wednesday. The victim is a 57-year-old man in Kuystendil. The total number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 rose to 422. 207 of these are hospitalized, 18 are in ICU.
As the constitution clearly states half MPs must be present for a sitting to be legitimate, and MPs vote in a certain way, options are limited. Even if MPs develop a system to vote and debate from a distance, legislation passed this way will be susceptible to annulment in court. In the meantime, the government also suggested today that the emergency measures due to the coronavirus should be extended for another month – until May 13, which will further amount to the pressure on MPs to find a feasible solution to the possible inability for them to physically meet and vote. The debates may be conducted online, but voting will prove a challenge from a judicial standpoint. Ironically, an extension of the state of emergency, which the Cabinet has requested, also needs to be passed by Parliament.
An idea MPs are currently discussing is to open a sitting with only enough attendees to establish quorum, then return to the other Parliament building, where all the offices are, debate online and vote with a paper ballot in a hall in the building one by one. must be passed as soon as possible, including amendments to the Energy Act and important changes to the budget due to the coronavirus crisis.
Meanwhile, Bulgaria registered the ninth death from coronavirus on Wednesday. The victim is a 57-year-old man in Kuystendil. The total number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 rose to 422. 207 of these are hospitalized, 18 are in ICU.
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