Divisions Deepen in Bulgaria's DPS as More MPs Quit Parliament Group
Two lawmakers of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) party have announced they would join other fellow MPs in leaving the party's group in Parliament.
The development comes after the DPS expelled its former Leaver Lyutvi Mestan, removing him from the chairman's office over the "pro-Turkish" shift the party has allegedly made since he took over in 2013.
The 38-strong parliamentary group of the predominantly ethnic Turk party were left by three members (Mestan's expulsion not included) last week.
On Tuesday, former Sports Minister Mariyana Georgieva announced she was also quitting the DPS group in Parliament, hours after sending out a media statement pledging her loyalty to Mestan.
Another MP, Ventsislav Kaymakanov, who is not a member of the DPS and jointed Parliament as part of the party's civic quota (where he was invited by Mestan himself) also announced he could not remain part of the group, sharing Mestan's "consistent behavior in defense of liberal values and the choice of Bulgaria to be a EU and NATO member."