“The president is a chance for Bulgaria“, said the candidate for MP from “Progressive Bulgaria“ Slavi Vassilev on bTV. According to him, the formation would not enter into a dialogue with Boyko Borisov and Delyan Peevski, and its main goal is to remove them from power.
Vassilev also added that he is entering politics to follow Rumen Radev “in the battle against Borisov and Peevski“. In his words, the president is the face of the alternative that many Bulgarians have been waiting for.
„If there is one reason for me to enter politics, it is that scumbags can no longer govern us“, said Vassilev.
He emphasized that there is a clear red line for the president's formation.
„The red line is certainly Borisov and Peevski“, Vassilev also stated.
In his words, „Progressive Bulgaria“ does not close the doors to all other political forces, but in terms of judicial reform and the fight against corruption, it cannot work with GERB and „DPS - New Beginning“.
Slavi Vassilev also commented on Rumen Radev's style of work as a political leader. According to him, the president is a person who listens to the opinions of the people around him, but ultimately he is the one who makes the decisions.
He is a person who has the ability to listen. This is not a person who directs the processes without anyone being able to say anything“, Vassilev pointed out.
At the same time, he explained that there is a clear hierarchy in the structure around the president.
“He, after making a decision, gives the orders. And every party should be like this in order to have discipline“, the candidate for MP also said.
Asked whether “Progressive Bulgaria“ would seek dialogue with “We continue the change - Democratic Bulgaria“, Vassilev said that he has reservations about them because of their participation in the so-called assembly, but did not put them in the same category as GERB and “DPS - New Beginning“.
“PP showed what it is by making the assembly. But in terms of judicial reform, we do not put them with Borisov and Peevski“, he said. However, Vassilev refused to go into specifics about possible post-election configurations before the vote.
According to Slavi Vassilev, Rumen Radev's formation has a chance for a “historical result“ in the elections. He questioned some of the sociological research and stated that “Progressive Bulgaria“ will still increase its support with the start of the active campaign.
“The president is not only the favorite. We have a chance to achieve a historic result,“ he said.
According to him, a large part of the people who have already decided to vote, but have not yet chosen for whom, can turn to Radev's formation.
Vassilev also commented on the foreign policy priorities of “Progressive Bulgaria“, emphasizing that the country must more clearly defend its national interest within the EU and NATO.
“Bulgaria has long lost its voice in the European Council and in NATO. Bulgaria is the eternal yes-man“, he said.
According to him, President Radev can offer a different model of foreign policy, without this meaning a change in the country's geopolitical course.
“It is not about changing the course, but about Bulgaria defending its national interest“, Vassilev pointed out.
The candidate for MP also touched on one of the ideas in the party's program - the use of artificial intelligence to detect irregularities in public procurement. According to him, such a system can signal suspicious conditions in procedures and limit the possibilities for pre-arranged tenders.
“Artificial intelligence will not replace the human factor, but it will turn on a red light when there are suspicious conditions in orders“, he explained.
At the end of the conversation, Slavi Vassilev made a direct appeal to voters to support “Progressive Bulgaria“.
“The president is a chance for Bulgaria. If we do not support the president en masse now, we will continue to drag on as we have been doing so far“, he said.