site.btaSocialists 49th Congress Approves Party's Campaign Platform, Coalition Framework for Early Parliamentary Elections, Adopts New Statute

Socialists 49th Congress Approves Party's Campaign Platform, Coalition Framework for Early Parliamentary Elections, Adopts New Statute

Sofia, February 5 (BTA) - A session of the 49th Congress of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), which was held in Sofia on Saturday and Sunday, approved the party's campaign platform and coalition framework for the March 26 early parliamentary elections.

In its campaign platform, the Socialist Party sets itself as a long-term goal increasing Bulgaria's population to 8 million and raising them all above the poverty line. The 10 per cent flat personal income tax is to be kept for the middle class, but people earning more than 10,000 leva monthly will be taxed 20 per cent. Another idea is that each working parents' family be allowed to deduct 50 leva monthly per child from their aggregate taxable income. The programme also plans a recalculating of pensions, which will lead to a nearly 20 per cent rise of the lowest pensions.

The BSP envisages pegging the child care benefit to the increase of the minimum wage and broader coverage of the allowance for the start of the school year to include first- to fourth-graders of low-income families.

The Socialists propose the establishment of an Industry Fund with an initial capital of 500 million leva for equity financing of enterprises in underdeveloped areas, and an Innovation Fund with an initial capital of 150 million leva for the development of computer experts and young engineers in Bulgaria. Besides this, start-up entrepreneurs aged under 35 will be exempt from profits tax for two years if they employ at least five workers and if their turnover does not exceed 150,000 leva, the BSP also plans.

In the energy sector, the BSP will seek to overcome the unbearable debts of state-owned energy companies and to stabilize the sector financially. The Socialists envisage state support for the implementation of the large energy projects: the Belene N-plant, the Bourgas-Alexandroupolis pipeline, and gas links and corridors. They also target increasing the number of households eligible for heating allowances from 250,000 to 500,000.

The Left is planning to set up a Ministry of Transport and Transport Infrastructure. The Socialists want an abandonment of the concession for Sofia Airport and its development as a state-managed strategic infrastructure.

In agriculture, the BSP will push for amendments to the Foods Act. The party wants mandatory minimum thresholds for Bulgarian-made products in the merchandise range of the large retail chains.

The Left suggest the adoption of a purposeful investment programme for the underdeveloped regions, including the Northwest, the Rhodopi Mountains, and Mount Strandja and Mount Sakar.

In health care, the Socialists propose scrapping the fingerprint identifier in hospitals and opening medical consulting rooms at schools.

The BSP urges for a revision of the educational reform, limiting public financing to state and municipal schools, updating school curricula, and having a single textbook and an unlimited number of school aids per subject. The Socialists propose a state-subsidized quota in university enrolment based on planning demand for labour, and 100 per cent state financing of tuition fees in priority specialties. Teachers' salaries will be gradually increased, the starting salary of young researchers will equal at least two minimum wages, and basic minimum salaries will be introduced for those employed in scientific research.

The Socialist Party favours an active and balanced foreign policy to the benefit of national interests. It supports full-fledged EU and NATO membership and promotion of relations with Russia, China and India. Socialists plan launching specific initiatives with the other EU Member States for lifting the sanctions against Russia.

The Left is campaigning for an entirely new national security strategy, effective utilization of the capacity of the Bulgarian military-industrial sector for army modernization, completion of the fence along the border with Turkey, and a revision of the Dublin Regulation on refugees.

In internal security, the BSP is planning a "police map" under which new permanently manned and equipped police stations will be established in rural areas. Police pay will be raised. The Criminal Procedure Code and the Penal Code will be amended to ensure quick and fair justice.

The Left envisages a gradual increase of public spending on culture to reach 1 per cent of GDP.

Meeting behind closed doors on Sunday, the session of the BSP Congress adopted a new statute of the party, limiting its members to three full MP terms or 12 years altogether. This limitation will not apply to the BSP Chair. The Left MPs who have already served more than three full terms in Parliament include Georgi Bozhinov, Mihail Mikov and Yanaki Stoilov. Under the new statute, they will be ineligible for nomination to the legislature.

In another important innovation, also initiated by BSP Chair Kornelia Niniova, the party's leader will be directly elected by its members. So far, the BSP leader was elected at a congress by delegates chosen by the local chapters. The previous statute also provided for a direct election option, but it was never applied.

An elected BSP Chair will be limited to two terms in office.

The Congress adopted a coalition framework for the forthcoming parliamentary elections.