Valeri Simeonov elected Deputy Speaker of Parliament

Valeri Simeonov on November 20 was elected one of Parliament’s Deputy Speakers. He is the leader of the National Front for Salvation of Bulgaria, which is a constituent party in the United Patriots - minority partner in the coalition government.

Simeonov was elected to replace Yavor Notev, who had held the post allocated to the United Patriots group, but stepped down after the Ataka party of which he is a member was excluded from the United Patriots.

He was elected with 118 votes in favour, 6 against and 6 abstentions.

Before the vote, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, walked out of the House.

Ataka MPs objected the election and called Simeonov a failed deputy prime minister.

The United Patriots alliance includes Krassimir Karakachanov’s IMRO, Volen Siderov’s Ataka and Simeonov’s NFSB parties. It became the minority partner of Boyko Borissov’s third government in May 2017.

On July 25, the council of the United Patriots voted to exclude Ataka party.

The decision comes 2 weeks after the two parties IMRO and NFSB voted to dismiss Siderov as parliamentary leader of the United Patriots.Following his recent election as a Sofia city councillor, Siderov resigned from Parliament.

Simeonov was a Deputy Prime Minister but resigned in November 2018 over offensive remarks he made about protesting mothers of children with disabilities.