site.btaUPDATED Nikola Minchev to Top Continue the Change List for European Elections

The Continue the Change (CC) Executive Council unanimously elected Nikola Minchev as the leader of the party’s list for the European Parliament elections at a meeting on Wednesday. CC co-leader Assen Vassilev said that Minchev "will be a strong Bulgarian voice in European politics".

The Executive Council also adopted four main national priorities that it will defend in the European Parliament: European income in a European Bulgaria; a change in the approach to migration in Europe; a strong economy in a clean nature; a protected Bulgaria with a strong army.

"Europe cannot be a global provider of social services at the expense of the security and well-being of its own citizens. We must strive to bring in only people who are ready to integrate into European society and contribute to the common good," said CC co-leader and co-floor leader Kiril Petkov.

"Continue the Change will start talks with Democratic Bulgaria (DB) to run together in the European elections because unity in the democratic community is needed if we are to have a strong voice in Europe," the party’s statement reads.

"These are Continue the Change's first European elections, so our goal is to have serious and quality representation in the EP," Minchev said. As to whether CC will run together with DB, he confirmed Kiril Petkov's words, noting that it is a matter of talks. "Our strong conviction is that we must be united again and not divide the voters who have already supported us, both in the parliamentary and local elections," he added. "The possibility of us being part of different European families in the future does not affect our joint bid now," Minchev further said. He added that it is good that they are able to start campaigning for the European elections early so they can reach all voters.