The BSP National Council discussed the current political situation in the country after the proposal for a referendum on the euro by President Rumen Radev, as well as whether to adopt a declaration in support of the introduction of the euro. Some of the participants in the National Council indicated to journalists that there is tension in some of the local structures after the proposal of President Rumen Radev, as some of the BSP structures in places, including Plovdiv, Varna, Dupnitsa, Blagoevgrad, Kyustendil, support President Radev's proposal for a referendum.
"The time to initiate a referendum, in our opinion, was before the submission of the letter of intent and entry into the European Monetary Mechanism. This is the moment when Bulgaria committed to adopting the common European currency and entered a period of preparation. Any assessment of the extent to which the Bulgarian economy and finances are prepared for the introduction of the euro should take into account the commitments undertaken by Bulgaria and the conditions of joining the exchange rate mechanism," the official position of the party's National Council reads.
Before the start of the meeting, the issue of discussing the plenum of a declaration in support of the adoption of the euro was commented on by Alexander Tomov, leader of "Bulgarian Social Democracy - Euroleft", part of the "Bulgarian Socialist Party - United Left" coalition, the mayor of Dupnitsa Parvan Dangov, MP Ivan Petkov and Alexander Simov, member of the BSP National Council.
Alexander Tomov, leader of "Bulgarian Social Democracy - Euroleft", believes that the very question proposed by the president for the referendum blocks membership in the eurozone. According to him, in general there is no tension in the coalition, but there is in certain segments of the BSP. According to him, they will also be convinced after a conversation that the question is absurd. I am convinced of this, because these are small groups of people who simply do not understand the essence. I think things are optimistic - in June we will have a decision that Bulgaria enters the eurozone and this is good for the citizens, Tomov added. According to him, if President Radev's question had been asked two or three years ago, then it would have been reasonable. People should be asked, but he did it at the last moment, which is a blockage of the June decision. The report is ready, it is practically written, the country paid a huge price - The people paid a price for getting this far, with the currency board, and with the fact that we entered the waiting room of the eurozone, and with the fact that we entered the Banking Union, why didn't they ask him then, Tomov commented.
The president is right about one thing, we should have talked to the people, his mistake is that he didn't do it earlier. It was in his hands and all this should have been done some time ago, even six months ago, before the formation of the cabinet they could have gone this way, but now at the moment when everything is over, this question means no to everything that has been done, Tomov added.
Alexander Simov, a member of the National Council of the BSP, pointed out that over the years it has become clear that there is an opportunity to have different positions in the BSP and the plenum is about saying things and seeing what the unified position of the party is. When asked about his assessment of the first hundred days in office, Simov recalled that this government was created very difficult, quite complicated. But in 100 days, I think that the BSP has well pushed its line on all those things that it has committed itself to before the voters, he pointed out.
Parvan Dangov, mayor of the Dupnitsa municipality, said that he expects there to be a frank discussion and analysis of the real situation in the places. "What I hear from people is that the lack of an adequate reaction from the party is unequivocally not good", he commented. "There is tension, of course, the structures in the places say that we need to think. Ultimately, the information campaign about the euro", he added.
According to him, people are more likely to support holding a referendum. He refers to the BSP structures in Plovdiv, Varna, Dupnitsa, Blagoevgrad, Kyustendil. Dangov gave a positive assessment of the 100 days of government.
Left-wing MP Ivan Petkov also commented that there is tension in some municipal and regional structures, including the Plovdiv one, which he represents. The people of Plovdiv want a referendum - to go out and exercise their vote, he commented.