The leader of “We Continue the Change“ Assen Vassilev, former Prime Minister Acad. Nikolay Denkov and MP Ailin Pehlivanova held an open meeting with citizens from Kardzhali today. Access to the meeting was completely free, and the MPs from the PP moved without security.
Assen Vassilev gave specific examples of the large-scale corruption in the last months of the current government to the citizens of Kardzhali:
- Rural roads: “One and a half million leva for 150 meters of rural road. Do you want to pay such taxes?“
- “Golden Meadow“ near Kozloduy: “68 acres of meadow for 200 million leva from the Energy Holding – 3,000 leva per square meter. Here, in Kardzhali, an apartment in the center is 3,000 leva per square meter. But here we are not talking about an apartment in the center, we are talking about a meadow. 200 million leva – that's how much all the helicopters we bought cost so that we can now have air support in the country. They will steal across a meadow“, compared Vassilev.
The message of the PP leader is clear: without 121 deputies ready for decisive reforms, corruption will continue to eat away at the future of Bulgaria.
Assen Vassilev categorically condemned the Revival Process of the 1980s, sharing personal memories of his childhood in Haskovo: “I was born in Haskovo, I grew up in Haskovo. My maternal grandparents were in the village of Tatarevo. I remember very well these events from 1984-1989. This was an active event of the services, of the State Security.“ Vassilev shared tragic memories: “I remember very well when they were leaving for Turkey, one of the houses opposite was crying, they didn't want to go and yet they got up and left. It is absolutely unacceptable for a country to expel its people in such a way. This is not a country in which we should live. This is not a country that we need in the future“, Vassilev was categorical.
Acad. Nikolay Denkov exposed one of the big lies with which Borisov and Peevski are trying to stay in power, despite the huge civil discontent that brought down their government after less than a year in power: “The protests started back in 2020, when there was no “Continuing Change”. Who overthrew our first government - Kiril Petkov's, and we went to elections? And who overthrew our second government? They did it again. Did they know how to form their own government after they overthrew our two? No. All the instability is due to Borisov and Peevski. They are the instability. And until they leave, there will be elections, because people do not want to be lied to and stolen from anymore,“ he said.
Denkov also noted that stability will come when a majority appears in parliament that wants to govern honestly, without stealing, without lying, and the deputies go without security – for no other reason than because they are not afraid that one of their “comrades“ from their bandit years might shoot them.
Aylin Pehlivanova, a deputy from “We Continue the Change“, called on the citizens of Kardzhali not to succumb to the manipulations with which, before each election, the same people scare the ethnic Turks in Bulgaria with a new Renaissance process. “I want to talk about how we will improve our lives, what will happen in the future. As a mother, this offends me“, she said.
Municipal representatives of the MRF – New Beginning had also come to the meeting to listen and ask questions.
„For the first time in 30 years, we see the city flourishing, and you are coming…“, shouted Myumyun Mustafa, a municipal councilor from the MRF-NN. He was interrupted by a shower of disgruntled shouts from the rest of the attendees.
Another voice shouted:"Hasan was mayor for 20 years, he said nothing (Hasan Azis - former mayor of Kardzhali)"
Assen Vassilev kept his word and said "It's not bad that from the "New Beginning" have come to be educated“, the remark provokes applause from the people in the hall.
After the meeting with citizens, Asen Vassilev, Acad. Nikolay Denkov and MP Aylin Pehlivanova laid a wreath at the Türkian fountain in memory of the victims of the Revival Process. The monument honors 17-month-old Türkian – the youngest victim of the forced change of names of the Bulgarian Turks in the village of Mogilyane 41 years ago. This is one of the most severe and symbolic tragedies that marked the totalitarian regime in Bulgaria. The local population opposes the repression, and the tension escalates into clashes. The price is cruel – three human lives, including Türkian.
The tragedy evokes a strong public and political response, and Turkyan becomes an image and symbol of innocence destroyed by injustice and violence on the part of the authorities. And reminds us how fragile human rights and freedom can be when they are not protected.
Today reminds us once again that freedom and democracy, won with so much effort, must never allow such tragedies to happen again.