„The election of the new chairman is not the end of a process, but a chance for the BSP to regain its position as a leading political force. It depends on all of us to make this change a reality – through a new organization, new policies and the involvement of young people in the leadership and the parliamentary group.“ This was stated by the Bulgarian MEP from the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament, Christian Vigenin, in an interview with Darik Radio from Strasbourg.
According to him, the last congress of the party has reversed the negative trends and given a new perspective to the left. „Only weeks ago there was a feeling of doom and apathy among part of the party's active members. The congress, which some expected to become a forum for the collapse of the BSP, did exactly the opposite – mobilized the party and gave hope“, Vigenin emphasized.
He emphasized that in addition to electing a chairman, the delegates also adopted a political platform, which will be the basis for the election program. “We reaffirmed our ideological foundation and our role as the only major political formation in the left space“, the MEP pointed out.
According to Vigenin, the party has serious work ahead of it to restore trust. “We should not consider what happened as a job well done. We still have a lot of work to do – both in the central bodies and in the local structures“, he said.
The MEP acknowledged that the BSP's participation in the government has brought both positive results and political damage. “Our ministers did a good job and important things happened in the sectors they governed. But the accumulation of compromises and the restrictions as a junior partner led to a decline in trust“, commented Vigenin.
The MEP emphasized that the choice of delegates clearly shows the direction of the party. “The BSP should be a stabilizing factor in the political system. The left is not omnivorous – our voters have a strong sense of political morality and justice“, he stated.
Christian Vigenin also commented on the position of President Iliana Yotova in the current political situation, emphasizing her supra-partisan nature. “Iliyana Yotova is already a statesman. She has the image of a person who stands above purely party passions and that is exactly what the role of the future president should be“, he stated. According to him, the socialists continue to perceive it as close to the left, but its institutional role requires broader representation. “A more natural formula for its possible participation in presidential elections would be through an initiative committee with support from various social and political circles“, is Vigenin's opinion.
He also commented on the ongoing consultations for a caretaker government. “The best option for a caretaker prime minister is the one chosen by President Yotova. The constitutional restrictions are clear, and the responsibility of political forces is to help guarantee fair elections“, said the MEP.
Vigenin reminded that the main task before the caretaker cabinet is the transparency of the electoral process. “Abuses of elections do not come from institutions, but from parties. Therefore, all political forces are responsible for the fairness of the vote“, he added.
According to Kristian Vigenin, the BSP can work with formations with similar policies, but will not compromise on its identity. “We are a left-wing party with clear principles. There can be no welfare state without democracy and the rule of law, just as there is no social justice without a fair judicial system,“ he stressed.
The MEP expressed confidence that if the party continues the changes it has begun, the left can restore its influence in Bulgarian political life.
“If we continue on the right path, we will achieve a stronger result than expected and will begin the return of the left's influence“, concluded Vigenin.
For contact with the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the EP: https://www.socialistsanddemocrats.eu/
