site.btaRamadan Atalay of MRF: Party is Ready to Participate in Government with Clear Programme, Vision for Development

The Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) is ready to take part in a government that has a clear programme and vision for development, but not with ministers selected and appointed by a single person, Ramadan Atalay of the MRF leadership commented on Bulgarian National Radio on Sunday. Atalay is one out of three MPs recently expelled from the MRF parliamentary group and one of the participants in Saturday's meeting with MRF Honorary Chairman Ahmed Dogan over the tension in the party.

"The position of Mr Dogan and of the MRF has always been that every political formation has been founded so as to enter Parliament and the country's governance. The MRF has always insisted that once a period of elections has passed, a government should be formed with a clear vision so that it can lead Bulgaria out of this crisis situation," he explained.

At Saturday's meeting, following four to five hours of free speaking and analysis of the political situation, they reached the conclusion that there is no going back. "The authentic MRF will take its due place so that we can have a government, in this parliament if possible. If not, we are heading towards elections," Atalay noted. 

Regarding his expulsion from the MRF parliamentary group, Atalay said that he cannot possibly be expelled without a decision of the Operational Bureau or the Central Council. "That is against the party's charter. I do not see myself as an independent MP. The group is divided in two. One part voted in conformity with the charter and the decision of the Honorary Chairman, and the other with [MRF Chairman Delyan] Peevski," he explained, referring to how the MRF voted on July 3 when Parliament did not support GERB-UDF's nomination of Rosen Zhelyazkov for prime minister. "There is division in the group, but whether there is a split will be seen from the next actions of both the party and the Honorary Chairman," Atalay added.

"We are MPs who have to decide independently and in accordance with our conscience after a debate how and in what way the party will vote during the vote on the proposed government," Atalay noted. He said that when there is no such thing, and when you have a person who has been in the business circles and makes decisions by himself, then you cannot make decisions single-handedly in politics. 

"Dual power does not solve problems. The two co-chairs of the MRF do not talk to each other. One of them is constantly being pressured, the other one's nerves are not strong enough," Atalay commented on the situation in the MRF. 

Regarding Sunday's meeting with Dogan and the possibility of Peevski being expelled, Atalay pointed out that Peevski was not the topic of conversation; discussed were the MRF and the principles of the party's governance. "There is no going back, Ahmed Dogan has fought against authoritarian regimes, and an authoritarian regime cannot remain in the MRF," Atalay pointed out. "Either we restore the authentic MRF with the democratic principles of governance, or authoritarian rule among the MRF ranks gives rise to resistance forces, as you are seeing now," Atalay said.  

"We might eventually part ways also with those who do not want to be involved in the general and collective decisions and in respecting the right of the Honorary Chairman," Atalay noted.