site.btaBulgarian Democratic Centre Propose Longer Campaign for Presidential Elections

Bulgarian Democratic Centre Propose Longer Campaign for Presidential Elections

Sofia, March 2 (BTA) - The Bulgarian Democratic Centre (BDC) will move between first- and second-reading debates on revisions to the Elections Code a proposal for extending the campaign for the presidential elections and earlier nomination of the candidates. This transpired after Wednesday's meeting of BDC representatives with President Rosen Plevneliev, held as part of Plevneliev's Month of Political Consultations initiative.

The President has already met with ABV and the nationalist Ataka party to discuss the issues on the agenda of Bulgaria and the priorities of the political parties.

BDC deputy leader Roumen Yonchev said that the presidential campaign needs to be longer to allow more time for a genuine debate among the candidates and their platforms, to allow people to vote for the best one. He expressed fears that cutting short the campain for the presidential elections to 21 days will make that impossible and will not allow the candidates to visit all regions in the country and meet people.
 
BDC have not decided yet whether to propose a campaign of 45 or 60 days, but it will surely be over a month.
  
Commenting contemplated changes in the Judiciary Act as part of the judicial reform package, Yonchev said that BDC are willing to support the majority of the proposed measures so that the reform be carried through the soonest possible.

BDC, however, have some objections to a bill on fighting high-level corruption, which is being prepared by the team of Deputy Prime Minister Meglena Kuneva. They argued against plans for restructuring institutions which work, into something new which should start functioning from scratch.
 
The BDC representatives said they are concerned by what is happening at the Defence Ministry and the ongoing disputes about who should be making the investment in defence capabilities - rather than what they should be.

The BDC is supportive of the measures for enhancing border security and fighting illegal entries, and believes it is important to raise the combat worthiness of the army and increase its financing, said MP Rossen Petrov.

The BDC representatives also raised the issue of municipal health care, which they believe to be understaffed, inadequately funded and equipped. They propose legislative changes to allow complementary funding of municipal hospitals from the municipal budgets.