site.bta President Plevneliev Calls on Politicians to Hold Positive Election Campaign

ESD 16:02:30 06-09-2014
MY1602ES.104
104 POLITICS - PRESIDENT - ELECTIONS - STATEMENT

President Plevneliev Calls on
Politicians to Hold
Positive Election Campaign


Sofia, September 6 (BTA) - President Rosen Plevneliev urged
politicians to be humble and hold a positive election campaign
during his address on the occasion of the beginning of the
election campaign for the early October 5 parliamentary
elections.

Noting all aspects of the complicated political situation in the
country and realizing their responsibility before the nation,
politicians must unite around the need to support long-term
priorities and carry out urgent reforms in order to guarantee
stability, economic growth and the country's well-being, said
Plevneliev.

The President voiced hope that the politicians will use the
election campaign to present their ideas and solutions for this
country's development. He called on parties to make clear
commitments and provide solutions for reforms, as well as to
demonstrate a correct approach and political will for reaching a
broad political agreement on the reforms. "Lets learn from the
mistakes," said Plevneliev, calling for replacing revanchism
with progress, development and more work on national priorities.
It is not important who will win, but what the meaningful
accomplishments will be for the people and the State. Society
today wants institutional stability, statehood, peace and a
perspective. The people expect to be guaranteed justice and
rules for all and not institutions being taken over by personal
interests, he said.

Plevneliev said that only a clear vision about this country's
future, supported by all, will increase people's trust in state
institutions and the political system. He noted that the
ineffectiveness of reforms in the country is the result of the
narrow-party approach for their implementation, adding that if
reforms continue to be postponed, their price will become
unbearable for the Bulgarian people. The President said that the
most urgent reforms are for a working and just judiciary,
pension reform, health care reform, as well as reforms in the
energy, security, education and administration sectors. "If
these reforms are not carried out by the new 43rd national
assembly, our children will pay a very high price," the
President said.

Plevneliev called on parties to work for winning trust in
institutions, politicians and the multi-party system. He noted
that civil society is active and will very well recognize and
punish the pre-election tricks and those who use them. Trust
calls for sincerity and not tricks, he said, adding that he
believes this is the winning model for the election campaign in
2014. According to the President, this is the only means to
direct public trust upwards and in the right direction.

The President called on Bulgarian citizens to vote en masse in
the upcoming elections, noting that voter turnout will determine
the rules according to which people want to live. "The upcoming
elections are an opportunity to set the direction in which we
want Bulgaria to go," he added, urging people to become familiar
with positions of all political parties, compare their ideas
and vote honestly and with sense. VI/MY