site.btaCourt Backs Election Commission's Decision to Register Zafirov as BSP for Bulgaria Representative

The Sofia City Administrative Court (SCAC) confirmed a Central Election Commission (CEC) decision by which Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) Acting Chairman Atanas Zafirov was registered as representing the BSP for Bulgaria coalition, reported the BSP press centre, and noted that this is an important step for socialists on the way to a broad left unification.

The decision came on the same day that the BSP signed a coalition agreement with all left-wing parties in Bulgaria for general participation in the elections, the party noted.

The BSP recalled that the CEC, by its decision, registered Atanas Zafirov as BSP for Bulgaria coalition representative. However, the decision was appealed by the former chair and former member of the party, Korneliya Ninova, and ex-members Ivan Chenchev and Georgi Svilenski, who were illegally authorized by her and expelled from the party, with the aim to block the BSP from appearing in the elections in a broad left alliance, the press release stated. On Thursday, the court rejected their request.

"We will wait for the final decision, as this does not come into effect until the Supreme Court has also ruled," commented Ninova.

The Sofia City Administrative Court decision is not final and will be appealed before the Appellate Court, commented by Ivan Chenchev and Georgi Svilenski. They noted that this decision refers to the currently existing coalition BSP for Bulgaria and to the 50th National Assembly, and not to the elections for the 51st National Assembly and future coalitions.