site.btaSergei Stanishev: "It Would Be Unhealthy for BSP to Coalesce with MRF"

Sergei Stanishev: "It Would Be Unhealthy  for BSP to Coalesce with MRF"

Sofia, January 12 (BTA) - Party of European Socialists President Sergei Stanishev said it would be unhealthy for the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) to form a coalition with the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF). He told journalists that after two terms in government with the Movement, the Socialists did not seem to have learned a lesson from their own mistakes.

In Stanishev's view, there is openness to policies for the first time in a long while. The BSP should rely on specific political, economic and social commitments, along with new faces and energy. It is crucial to have a clear government programme, coalition agreement and decision-making mechanism.

The BSP should act responsibly in the State interest, it must not be held hostage and pay the price for its coalition partners' conduct, Stanishev said. He also called on politicians to be more moderate during the election campaign, to argue about policies, and not to descend into personal abuse. Also, the parties should work towards Bulgaria's Presidency of the EU Council.

Asked if the BSP could coalesce with GERB, Stanishev declined to give advice, saying that coalitions are not discussed before elections.

He had invited journalists to a party with prophecies for the New Year. The message in his piece of cheese pastry was "strong will and luck will guide you forward". His comment was: "Vague, but positive."