A guide dog will be present during plenary sessions of Bulgaria’s 52nd National Assembly for the first time in the country’s parliamentary history.

Axar.az reports, citing Bulgarian media, the newly elected parliament held its first session on Thursday following snap elections conducted on April 19.

Among the newly elected deputies is Ivan Yanev, a member of the “Progressive Bulgaria” bloc, which secured 131 out of 240 seats. Yanev, who is visually impaired, entered parliament accompanied by his guide dog, marking an unprecedented development in the institution’s accessibility arrangements.

His guide dog, named “Rover,” is expected to be a constant presence during plenary and committee sessions, as well as within parliamentary premises, to support his mobility and daily work in office.

The arrangement has also drawn informal reactions, with some jokingly referring to Rover as the “241st member of parliament,” although the dog’s role is strictly functional rather than ceremonial.