site.btaUPDATED Korneliya Ninova Resigns as Socialist Party Leader

Koneliya Ninova will resign as leader of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP). She was speaking at a news briefing in connection with the June 9 elections for national and European parliament. Ninova added that she will convene the party's National Council.

On Monday, BSP youth chapter urged her to resign over what they call a disastrous election. 

“I assess our results as catastrophic, which is why I take the political responsibility personally. I resign and convene the National Council,” said Ninova, adding that she will remain a regular deputy in the 50th parliament. 

The National Council must choose one of her deputies to complete her term, who are Kristian Vigenin, Irena Anastasova, Vladimir Moskov and Atanas Zafirov. A full cycle of reports and elections in the whole party begins, which means new municipal and regional leaders, direct election in September of a chairman and a congress in October, Ninova said.

She would not say whether she would run again for socialist leader. 

In her words, the analysis of the Executive Bureau showed that in terms of policies, on the issues that concern society, the socialists have not made mistakes in relation to the majority of Bulgarian citizens. The biggest concern for Bulgaria is the lowest voter turnout, which is a punishment for everyone in the political system, said Ninova.

There is no winner in these elections, because everyone except the Movement for Rights and Freedoms and There Is Such a People lost votes, Ninova said. In her words, the current fragmentation means instability and parties should work to address this. 

The responsibility for forming a government lies with GERB, as the first political force, and Boyko Borissov, said Ninova. “We would not support a GERB government, and continue to believe that the country can get out of the crisis with a non-partisan, temporary, expert cabinet.” 

There is a risk of entering into a spiral of early parliamentary elections and we urge against this, Ninova replied to a question. “We call for the formation of a lasting government with a long mandate and meaningful decisions of the National Assembly. New elections in the autumn will be with even lower turnout, even lower legitimacy and fragmentation,” she warned.

She said that there is a danger not only for the political parties but also for the democratic process in the country.

Ninova once again called on all those who have left the BSP to return to the party.