MPs with the parliamentary group of the BSP Left Bulgaria filed at parliament a draft decision on encouragement of the inter-parliamentary dialogue and cooperation between the European Union (EU) and the Russian Federation, the press office of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) announced on Tuesday.

“The sanctions hamper the establishment of a global coalition against terrorism,” the document of the socialists says.

The draft decision envisages for the National Assembly to assign the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria to present before the European Council and the Foreign Affairs Council a proposal for removal all parliamentarians from the European lists of sanctions and negotiating a reciprocal action on behalf of Russia.

The proposal, signed by Mihail Mikov, chairperson of the parliamentary group of the BSP Left Bulgaria, says further that the Bulgarian National Assembly should strengthen the contacts between the legislative authorities in the EU and Russia with the purpose to normalise the relations.

The draft decision also notes that the Bulgarian parliament thinks that the introduction of bans on the free movement of parliamentarians from the executive power on national and European level is inexpedient.

According to the socialists, it contradicts the rules of democracy and that is why the BSP insists on such measures not to be adopted in the future.

BSP Left Bulgaria justifies its initiative with the increasing terrorist threat for Europe coming from Islamic State and the destabilising effect for Bulgaria and the EU brought by the migrant inflow, provoked by the continuing military conflict in Syria and the actions of the terrorist organisation.

“At the same time there are efforts for establishing a global coalition for fight against the international terrorism and its roots. The violated cooperation between the parliaments of the EU and NATO member states, on the one hand, and Russia, on the other, hampers this process,” the document reads further.

“With regard to the need to stimulate the dialogue and the cooperation on the common global challenges and the demonstration of clear signals from both parties involved, the BSP Left Bulgaria thinks that it will be advisable to lift all restrictions on the trips of parliamentarians, introduced by the EU and Russia, as soon as possible. They hamper not only the political but also the cultural and economic cooperation,” the declaration of the socialists reads further.

The motives stated include the non-democratic character of the restrictions, which the executive power places beyond the cooperation among the parliaments.

The draft decision is based on texts of the Bulgarian Constitution and the Rules and Regulations of the Work of the Bulgarian National Assembly.