site.btaLyutvi Mestan: MRF Is Key Guarantor of Democratic Process

121 POLITICS - PARLIAMENT - STATEMENT - LEADER

Lyutvi Mestan: MRF Is
Key Guarantor of
Democratic Process


Sofia, October 27 (BTA) - Addressing the MPs, Movement for
Rights and Freedoms (MRF) Leader Lyutvi Mestan said that his
party will not support a unprincipled, anti-European and
anti-NATO coalition. "It will be an honor for the Movement to be
a clearly outlines and modern opposition of such governing
formation. We shall not leave any discriminatory or any other
act addressed against human rights without a response," he
stated.

"We can do without power but we cannot be separated from the
democratic political process because we are one of its pillars,"
Mestan also said. "For us, it is a matter of political
responsibility to support, without participating in the
governance, if necessary, a clear Euro-Atlantic profile of the
next Bulgarian Cabinet. We are aware that a right-of-centre
governance, which is without an alternative with a view to
GERB's primary position, cannot enjoy majority support without
MRF," he stated.

According to Mestan, the 43rd National Assembly is faced with
several crisis points: budget deficit, the problem with the
troubled Corporate Commercial Bank (Corpbank), the inverted
pyramid of the health insurance system and the paralyzed
systems, such as healthcare. In his opinion, this has prompted
social populism.

According to Mestan, MRF is ready for in-depth genuine
discussion of the system problems and vices of the Bulgarian
democracy, beginning from Corpbank. He noted that the truth
about Corpbank differs from "the myth about the bank of MRF" and
it will be revealed. He singled out other important issues,
such as vote buying and the appointments in the judicial system.

It is important to find out who has produced the post-election
anti-MRF hysteria, the MRF leader also said. This aims the
establishment of a "favourable emotional environment in order to
promote an anti-European and anti-NATO ally between the Right
and the nationalistic populism", as he put it.

Referring to remarks by Patriotic Front Co-Chair Valeri
Simeonov, Mestan asked how would expressions, such as "Europe
should mind its own business", and the appeal to re-consider the
agreement on the NATO bases coexist with the Euro-Atlantic
values. "In a search for an arithmetic majority, we run a risk
of losing the civilized direction for Bulgaria," Mestan
observed. "Even if a majority of 202 MPs is ensured, this is not
yet a basis for steady governance because it would lack the
cohesion of values".

"This is not a time for revenge now. It is a time to read
history not only for the sake of the past but in real time. At
the present moment, MRF is a key guarantor of the democratic
process," said Mestan. "We are aware of out mission not to allow
Bulgaria be diverted from its civilized choice," he added. /TK/