site.btaBSP Holds Forum on Left Wing's Future in Bulgaria

The Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) Friday is holding a forum on the future of Bulgaria's left wing and its need for a new path. The forum, titled (R)evolution of the Left: the Path Ahead for Bulgaria, was organized with support from the Friedrich Ebert Foundation in Sofia. Among the attendees were MPs, members of the European Parliament, representatives of left parties and movements, university professors.

The change process in the BSP is irreversible, said party’s Acting Chairperson Atanas Zafirov. He stated BSP’s intention to ensure a smooth transition and fair democratic elections in the party. 

Socialist MP Alexander Simov said that the BSP is fighting for an increase of the minimum pension, “but the new right wing has completely taken over the social instruments”. “If you fight in the left for who is more left, the voters will not recognize and will not vote for you but will vote against the system that gives birth to 'assemblage after assemblage'", Simov added.

He used a term that was widely used - and still is - to describe the partnership between Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria and GERB-UDF during of government of prime minister Nikolay Denkov.

BSP’s Georgi Pirinski pointed out what he called "democratic deficits", fragmentation of the left, nationalism, political crisis and collapse of statehood among Bulgaria’s problems.

The leader of the BSP youth chapter, Gabriel Valkov said that the unification should happen not only within the parties but also between all left parties. In his words, new left policies are needed, but they must be drawn up together with experts and younger people. New faces are needed to deliver these new policies, he added.

BSP National Council member Boyan Balev believes that among the leading topics in the party should be peace in Ukraine, getting out of the political crisis and upcoming internal elections for party leader. There will be changes in the Constitution and in the electoral system, Balev said.

Movement 21 Deputy Chair Danail Georgiev said that frequent elections and Parliament crisis are also due to the left wing’s weakness.