The power-sharing Continue the Change party condemned "the circumstances of Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny's death, and the inhuman conditions for him in the prison in Russia". The party put out a statement on Friday shortly after the Russian authorities announced Navalny's death in prison. "Navalny's death is an attempt at a blatant, systematic and intentional murder of free will, of democracy, of the courage to be in opposition and fight for justice," they said.
The statement further says that Continue the Change, as a pro-European party, "is firmly opposed to Kremlin's repressive and criminal actions against human rights". "We will continue to fight for peace and the normal development of our country by defending the interests of Bulgaria and Bulgarian citizens and not allowing Russian influence in our country to stop this process," the statement goes.
The MPs of Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria will submit a bill to secure "comprehensive enforcement of all sanctions and measures against the Putin regime and its economic interests on Bulgarian soil".
Continue the Change co-leader Kiril Petkov is quoted as saying, "Putin doesn't understand that killing Navalny doesn't kill the spirit of freedom, it makes it stronger and invincible, because now Navalny has become a symbol of strength, of hope, of freedom, who cannot be chained in prison, who cannot be hidden from the people, who cannot be killed again. Navalny has won! Putin will lose!"
"We believe that the death of Alexei Navalny is far from the end of the struggle for a free and democratic world. Although posthumously, he shows us the meaning of the battle the world is fighting with Putin's regime. The point of supporting Ukraine. The point of coming together. For democracy to win, for freedom, for Ukraine, for peace in Europe and ultimately for Bulgaria," the statement says.
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