site.btaReformist Bloc's Presumptive Presidential Candidate Believes He Has Support of All Bloc Partners

Reformist Bloc's Presumptive Presidential Candidate Believes He Has Support of  All Bloc Partners

Sofia, September 2 (BTA) - The presumptive presidential candidate of the Right-wing Reformist Bloc (RB), Traicho Traikov, said here Friday that he believes he has the support of all RB members. He also urged Right-wing voters to show more courage and go to the voting stations, and not be discouraged by their own pessimism about the chances of the Right-wing candidate.

Immediately after the RB announced that it will ask its Executive Council to nominate Traikov to be their presidential candidate, the leader of the RB-affiliated Union of Democratic Forces, Bozhidar Loukarski, told a national daily that he would never ever support Traikov. This appeared to unveil a rift in the alliance over the nomination - until this impression was dispelled shortly after that by Loukarski's deputy who confirmed the party's support for Traikov.

A meeting of the RB Executive Council is due on September 8 to make a final decision on the nomination.

"It is a moment when it is of vital importance who takes the helm of the country," Traikov said. He explained that now Bulgaria needs to reconfirm the choice it made 20 years ago - of democracy and Euro-Atlanticism.

Traikov said it  would be natural for GERB and the RB to agree to support each other's candidate at possible runoffs, whoever goes that far. "I will gladly give my support for the GERB candidate unless - which is much unlikely - I have very strong objections to this person. Likewise, I will expect GERB to support me, if I make it to the runoffs," he said.

GERB is expected to announce their presidential nominee on October 2.

Traikov said that a President cannot be expected to be in opposition but it is important to have a President who can say "no" to anybody.

Asked to comment the tenure of President Rosen Plevneliev, he said that he has always been right in his assessment and at the same time stayed loyal to the party which nominated him, GERB. "This made him more cautious at times," Traikov said.