Parliament failed to reach a quorum at the start of the extraordinary session on the pardon of Ognyan Atanasov, speaker Mihaela Dotsova said. MPs will register again in 15 minutes. See our original report: Parliament to hold emergency session over pardon of Ognyan Atanasov.

In all, 87 MPs registered in the chamber: 25 from GERB-SDS, 17 from DPS, 16 from Democratic Bulgaria, 14 from Progressive Bulgaria, 13 from We Continue the Change and two from Vazrazhdane.

The opposition requested the session. MPs are due to hear from chief commissioner Ivaylo Yordanov, chief director of the Execution of Sentences Directorate, senior commissioner Svetoslav Penov, head of Sofia prison, and Vasil Kordev, who headed Sofia prison in November and December 2022. They are to discuss the pardon and the incident at the prison on 16 November 2022.