Esteemed Mr. Plevneliev!
Esteemed Mrs. Popova!


On the behalf of the Members of Parliament I congratulate you on the occasion of taking oath of office and wish you successful completion of your mission at your responsible state posts. I would like to assure you forthwith in the will of the National Assembly as legislative body of the Republic of Bulgaria to maintain constructive dialogue with the presidential institution.

Esteemed Mr. Plevneliev,

Today you are vested with the confidence of the people, but as you have stated in your speech, you are fully aware that this confidence is underpinned by the people’s expectations. Expectations for economic prosperity, for strengthening and deepening of democracy, for affirming the place of Bulgaria among the ranks of our friends and allies. For a better, more dignified and meaningful life.


All of us – the Legislature, the Executive and the Judiciry, are also working to the implementation of these expectations in accordance with the powers vested on us by the Constitution.

Bulgaria is a parliamentary republic, Mr. Plevneliev, but the office of the President is a key one. As you have put it yourself, to be President is also a matter of cause. The President is entitled to not only encourage positive developments or be corrective force in case of extremes. The President is also expected to put forward avenues for developmet.  

You have declared your intentions for active involvement in the elaboration of a national development program ‘Bulgaria 2020’, for opening the presidential institution to the civil sector and initiating a public debate on topics of importance for every Bulgarian. I would like to reassure you that the Bulgarian parliament is ready to be your active partner in every constructive initiative which is in the interest of Bulgaria and the well-being of all Bulgarian citizens.

Yet another expectation lies on the President.

We are living in complex times. The country’s problems and the international difficulties face us with daunting challenges. As you have just stated, difficult as well as responsible decisions are to be made. The question is how to combine these decisions with the expectations of the people, how to adequately respond to the anticipations of the nation.

As I have said before, we have to work for unity. Not only because of the slogan inscribed on the front of the National Assembly building. By saying unity, I don’t have in mind a word devoid of meaning or a way to rule out differencies. Disputes and differing stands underlie the very fundament of democracy and development. By unity I mean consent on the direction as well as conviction that we have to walk the road together safeguarding the feeling that we belong to one community. All of us – representatives of various professions, strata and ethnic groups, young and old – are citizens of this country and are bound to contribute to the development of our society, to make our life more productive and worth-wile.

The National Assembly focuses various view-points as it is its function to be arena of contradictions and provide a platform for clash of ideas.

You, Mr. Plevneliev, as President have to stand above these clashes and I am confident you will. Because, as prescribed by the Constitution, ‘the President epitomizes the unity of the nation’.

I wish you to be a worthy unifier of the nation. Winding up your speech you have made an irrefutable finding: Together we can constructively build, if only we want. I wish you to work in such a way that by the end of your term all Bulgarians would become more responsible to our country and to each other, more united, more contented and happy!

Best of luck, Mr. Plevneliev!
Best of luck, Mrs. Popova!