site.btaUPDATED MRF Central Operative Bureau Expels Delyan Peevski from Party along with Aides; Peevski Calls the Bureau Defectors

The Central Operative Bureau of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) has expelled Delyan Peevski from the party, said the press office of the MRF wing close to honorary chair Ahmed Dogan. "Today [Tuesday] MRF honorary chair Ahmed Dogan held a meeting with the MRF Central Operative Bureau", the press release said.

Peevski is one of the two MRF leaders, together with Dzhevdet Chakarov, and is also the party floor leader. Following a rift in the party amid what appears to be a battle over the control of the party between Peevski and Dogan, the honorary chair urged the floor leader to come down, but Peevski refused to comply. The Central Operative Bureau also voted to expel MRF ranking members Halil Letifov, Iskra Mihaylova-Koparova, Jordan Tzonev, Hamid Hamid, Stanislav Anastassov, Radoslav Revanski and Erten Anisova.

Later Tuesday, the MRF's press service released a statement from Peevski, which reads: "I saw that there was a meeting of defectors from the MRF, who were expelled from the parliamentary group. After they tried to steal the MRF brand, they lost their capacity to represent the party." Peevski added that the alleged defectors live in a parallel world and should realize that Bulgaria is a country where "everything happens according to the law".

Peevski is discharged from the position of MRF chairman, and Halil Letifov, Stanislav Anastassov, Iskra Mihaylova-Koparova and Jordan Tzonev as deputy chairpersons and members of the Central Operative Bureau. Hamid Hamid and Radoslav Revanski are discharged from the Central Operative Bureau, and Erten Anisova is removed as deputy floor leader of the MRF.

Furthermore, the Central Operative Bureau has expelled a number of local chapter leaders: Erdzhan Ebatin in Varna, Gyunai Daloolu in Veliko Tarnovo, Erdinch Hadzhiev in Dobrich, Tihomir Trifonov in Montana, Yumer Hamza in Pazardzhik, Yuksel Rasim in Plovdiv, Mustafa Mustafov in Sliven, Tundzhai Yozturk in Stara Zagora, Hamdi Ilyazov in Targovishte and Mehmed Ataman in Haskovo.

The Central Operative Bureau also approved new MRF stamps and revoked the existing stamps.

The press release after the Central Operative Bureau says, "Systematic violation by the above-mentioned persons of the party's statute, the failure to implement the decisions of the National Conference, the collective bodies of the party and the honorary chairman of the MRF have put at risk not just the unity of the party, but its existence with the ideas and philosophy of the party's founder Dr Ahmed Dogan, enshrined in the MRF's statute and program documents. The said provisions of the MRF statute provide grounds for the honorary chairman and the Central Operative Bureau to restore the normal functioning of the party and its collective bodies and structures in order to overcome these risks and for the party to effectively and fully participate in the political life of the country."

It says further that in prior addresses, Ahmed Dogan "issued a clear and firm warning, giving time and opportunity to the individuals to submit their resignations, but the processes, following their own course, led to today's decisions, which are final".

It also said that the persons expelled from the MRF automatically lose their positions in the governing bodies of the party. "As far as holding a position in the MRF parliamentary group is concerned, it should be explicitly stressed that the parliamentary group is a function of the party under Article 27 of the MRF statute. The decisions of the group are taken in accordance with the statute and the programme documents of the MRF. Decisions of the parliamentary group adopted in violation of the MRF statute are null and void."

According to Article 9a in conjunction with Article 9(2)(7) of the MRF Statute, the honorary chair, as the founder and first chair of MRF, embodies and expresses the party's enduring values and strategic goals. The chair’s decisions bind all party bodies and structures, including convening meetings of the party's governing and control bodies. Per Article 11(1) of the MRF Statute, the Central Operative Bureau is a permanent governing body and carries out the operational political leadership of the MRF. By virtue of this provision, the MRF Central Operative Bureau not only could, but must make all decisions related to the party's operations, functioning, and participation in the political process, the statement says.

It was also noted that the decisions made on Tuesday reflect the will of all MRF members, for whom respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, the rule of law, and human rights, including the rights of individuals belonging to minorities, are fundamental values. For them, the MRF is a cause, the statement added.

The decisions from the meeting are subject to appeal before the Central Control Commission of the MRF.

On July 10, Dogan sent a letter to all MRF members calling for the resignations of Peevski, Letifov, Anastassov, Hamid, Anisova and Revanski. The letter alleged that the MRF was going through a serious crisis caused by the systematic non-observance of the MRF Charter, by the gross violation of the decisions of the last MRF National Conference in February, as well as by the brutal treatment of the members of the central governing bodies, the MRF members of Parliament, the regional and municipal structures of the party.

Peevski's response was that he would not give up, as this would be an act of betrayal towards the people who had trusted him.

On July 11, the parliamentary group of the MRF decided to expel 17 MPs, including one of the MRF's two chairpersons Dzhevdet Chakarov. The others were Alizan Yahova, Andzhey Dzhandev, Valentin Tonchev, Edis Daudov, Erduan Mehmed, Esheref Esheref, Levent Memish, Mario Rangelov, Mehmed Salim, Pavlin Krastev, Sevim Ali, Timur Halilov, Fatme Ramadan, Habibe Rasim, Hayri Sadakov and Yusein Veyselov. Twenty-five MPs voted for, with no votes against or abstentions. Earlier that day, Ramadan Atalay, Dzheyhan Ibryamov and Aysel Rufad were expelled from the MRF group, while Filiz Hyusmenova resigned as MP for Varna.

Peevski stated that the 17 MPs "expelled themselves" by trying to bring discord within the party and destroy it.

Signs of the rift within the MRF became apparent on July 3, when even though Dogan advised his party's parliamentary group not to support the GERB-UDF cabinet proposal, 30 of the 45 MRF MPs voted in favour of Rosen Zhelyazkov's nomination for prime minister, 14 were against, and one abstained.