Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) floor leader Delyan Peevski told journalists Friday that he plans to run for party leader. He aspires for a position that has been vacant since November 7, when Mustafa Karadayi resigned.
Peevski was speaking while a meeting of the MRF Central Council was underway.
As Karadayi stepped down earlier in November - without giving any reasons - MRF founder and honorary chairman Ahmed Dogan took over the operational leadership of the party until a new leader is elected at a national conference on February 24.
Friday's meeting of the Central Council began with loud applause for MRF floor leader Peevski and MP Halil Letifov.
The MRF Honorary Chairman Dogan did not attend the meeting in person but wrote an address to the Central Council, which was made public by the party press centre.
"A phenomenon in Bulgarian politics"
In his address, Dogan praises Peevski, calling him "a phenomenon in Bulgarian politics in the last five to six months". "With his hyperactivity, resourcefulness, and mediator skills, he managed to become the centre of power in the Bulgarian National Assembly. From the most reviled person [in the country], he became an important partner for all parliamentary groups."
Dogan says further that he assumed the MRF's operational leadership not out of desire to return to politics but out of political necessity: the party's current state and future development.
He also has a few words about Karadayi. He says that his "surprising resignation" clearly had a prehistory; that Karadayi had undeniable contribution to the MRF and "the 30 years of investment in him" will hopefully help him in the next page of his life.
An explanation
In a Facebook post on Friday he has addressed to Dogan, the party leadership and MRF supporters, Karadayi offered an explanation of sorts for his resignation. He said that he came down ahead of the party's Central Council meeting and National Conference to make it clear that he will not run for a new term as leader, to give enough time for a serious debate on the MRF's future and for the preparation of any candidates for the chairmanship.
Further, Karadayi thanks for the trust he received when he was elected MRF chairman on April 24, 2016. "I thank every single one of you for everything we experienced during this period. Thank you for the trust! Thank you, Mr Dogan, for everything! The service for and in the name of the MRF is both a privilege and a huge responsibility. I have always acted with huge responsibility. At the end, I wish to apologize to every person individually and to the Central Council as a whole if I have not met their expectations as a chairman and as a person. I wish you a lot of health and successes!" the post reads.
/MY/
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