Assoc. Prof. Atanas Slavov: GERB does not take responsibility with their refusal to nominate a presidential candidate

This week, the first step towards the election of a new composition of the Supreme Judicial Council was taken with the nominations for members of the parliamentary quota.

Assoc. Prof. Atanas Slavov, former Minister of Justice and part of the leadership of “Yes, Bulgaria“ said in the program “Ofansiva“ on NOVA NEWS that Gyurov and Kandev should seek support from the widest possible circles of Bulgarian society. In his words, it is no coincidence that the Initiative Committee is broadly representative of different groups, strata, professions and does not have a strict ideological vision.

“The goal is not to seek party support and this is the intrigue that GERB is constantly trying to introduce into the debate - almost to have the candidates go and pray to the padishah for support. This cannot happen“, Assoc. Prof. Slavov would categorically state. In his words, Gyurov and Kandev are independent candidates and are seeking support from citizens, not from party headquarters.

“GERB refuses to take political responsibility for the loss of the parliamentary elections, refuses to take responsibility for the presidential elections and blames everyone else that something is wrong in the process. Let Borisov take responsibility for both the loss and nominate his own candidate, and not make intrigues about who should seek support from whom“, he commented.

According to Assoc. Prof. Atanas Slavov, there are many pro-European voters of GERB who are not satisfied with the processes that have taken place in the party in recent years, including the government they had with the MRF last year. “I think that there is an expectation there for support for a very pro-European oriented and democratic candidate for president of the country. So let's seek such support – from the voters, from the citizens, not from the leaderships“, he was categorical.

Regarding the candidates for members of the Supreme Judicial Council, Assoc. Prof. Slavov commented that their candidates will receive a positive assessment from the professional community of citizens.

“Both Yankulov and Dechev were some of the most recognizable ministers in the caretaker government. The candidates have a long experience as magistrates, Dechev continues to be an acting judge, Yankulov as a prosecutor and Radulovska as a judge. These are candidates who have support in the professional community. I hope that we will receive support for them from “Progressive Bulgaria“ and I do not see what objections they may have against them“, he commented.

Assoc. Prof. Slavov also said that in his opinion it is important that among the candidates from the professional quota there are prosecutors who have declared internal opposition to the status quo in the prosecutor's office.

According to him, the president should convene an Advisory Council on National Security in connection with the series of explosions in the “EMKO“ factories, which according to Slavov are an indication of external interference.