site.btaAhmed Dogan Returns to Active Politics

Independent MP Valentin Tonchev told bTV on Wednesday that Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) Honorary Chairman Ahmed Dogan is returning to active politics and is most likely to run for Parliament.

Tonchev, who was expelled from the MRF parliamentary group and supports Dogan, said that by deciding to accept the applications for registration for the October 27 parliamentary elections of both MRF wings, the Central Election Commission (CEC) "dealt a blow to democracy". "CEC should be an independent body which must ensure the holding of fair and transparent elections," the MP said.

On Monday, CEC accepted the papers of both MRF factions - the one behind Dogan and the other behind Floor Leader Delyan Peevski, recording both applications at the same time without serial numbers.

Peevski's MRF - New Beginning coalition includes the Bulgarian Voice party and the New Leaders party.

The other MRF faction is also in a coalition with two parties - Just Bulgaria United Patriots (SBOR) and the Bulgarian Agrarian National Union. The coalition will run in the elections under the name "Democracy, Rights and Freedoms (DRF)". (The Bulgarian abbreviation is the same as that of MRF.)

Tonchev said Peevski's coalition, MRF - New Beginning, includes a splinter group from the Vazrazhdane party. The Bulgarian Voice party claims they are "patriots for a Christian Orthodox country". Tonchev asked if those people can represent Bulgarian Muslims. The other coalition partner in MRF - New Beginning runs in local elections with nationalist parties VMRO, Ataka and Volya, the MP said.

"Peevski took off his mask of a Euro-Atlantic politician (...) and proved to be an out-and-out nationalist," Tonchev said.

In contrast, the Bulgarian Agrarian National Union is focused on agricultural policy, small settlements and Bulgarian villages, which are the core of the MRF, he said. "That is why they are our coalition partner."

"We will apologize to all our members and supporters for empowering Delyan Peevski. All young people in the MRF were misled," Tonchev also said.