site.btaUPDATED Alliance for Rights and Freedoms Refuses to Endorse Govt with MRF - New Beginning Overt or Covert Support, Leader Chakarov Says

The Alliance for Rights and Freedoms shall not endorse a government compiled with the overt or covert support of the MRF - New Beginning coalition, the Chairman of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF), Dzhevdet Chakarov, said in a declaration on the 51st National Assembly’s inaugural meeting Monday. 

Chakarov pointed out that the atmosphere is not celebratory on this day because of the economic crisis, the low standard of living, the serious political crisis in which the country finds itself and which, in his words, poses great challenges for the formation of a regular government and, last but not least, the lack of trust not only in the politicians in society, but also in the early parliamentary elections that were held.

"The shadow of gross violations of the law, of blatant falsifications, of pressure and corporate voting is over them. That is why at a meeting of the Central Operational Bureau we decided to support the declaration of Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) to create a "sanitary cordon" around Delyan Peevski. We believe that this declaration will be a step forward in the affirmation of the principles for which the authentic MRF under the leadership of our Honorable Chairman, Dr. Ahmed Dogan, has been talking for months," said Chakarov.

ARF will propose the creation of a temporary committee to investigate Delyan Peevski’s role in the Bulgarian Development Bank, his involvement in the bankruptcy of the Corporate Commercial Bank, and his connections within the judiciary.

"We believe that it is crucial that the current Parliament urgently launches a procedure for the election of an ombudsman and deputy ombudsman," Chakarov said. He added that doing so would address gaps in the pool of office-holders from which the President can choose a potential caretaker prime minister in case the three exploratory government-forming mandates fail to produce a regular cabinet.

"Should there be snap parliamentary elections, we will support any initiative for a recount of the ballots and full annulment [of the elections] because of the blatant violations committed before the eyes of the Bulgarian public," Chakarov said.

"We will seek agreement on measures to address the major delay in the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Plan and the operational programmes. Urgent measures are needed to accelerate the country’s economic growth, to raise the standard of living, to overcome the disparities between the regions across the country and the acute demographic crisis," ARF’s declaration said.

Chakarov said that efforts must be made to address the water shortage in many settlements in the country.

He identified the lack of confidence in the judiciary and the slow justice as the main reasons for the lack of investor interest in the last two years. "Bulgaria is in dire need of serious foreign investment. Lack of political stability is also a cause for economic instability and withdrawal of foreign investors," Chakarov added.