site.btaMovement for Rights and Freedoms Celebrates 35th Anniversary

Members and supporters of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) Saturday celebrated the 35th anniversary of the party's establishment. The event held under the slogan "We've Had a Mission for 35 Years" was attended by supporters of the MRF faction led by Ahmed Dogan from across the country.

The MRF is a cause which cannot be destroyed, said Rushen Riza, citing MRF founder Ahmed Dogan. "The MRF's strength is not in its name but in the people defending it," he added. The MRF has played a major role in Bulgaria's accession to NATO and the EU, Riza said. "Today, we are facing a similar challenge - once again we see a concentration of power in one man."

MRF Chairman Dzhevdet Chakarov said that in the present Parliament, the MRF will do its best to see a government that is not dependent on what he referred to as "the Peevski model". "We want to have a democratic state, a rule of law. We are faced with very serious challenges - one of the biggest being to rebuild the structures of the party, to be among the people," he added. "We are no longer alone, there are already 106 signatures in favour of the 'sanitary cordon', I am convinced that there are more MPs in Parliament who would like to join this community, because we all need democracy," Chakarov said.

The "sanitary cordon" is a reference to a proposal made by Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria two days after the October 27, 2024 snap elections - that the parliamentary groups in the 51st National Assembly sign a declaration that they will not work with Delyan Peevski's MRF-New Beginning in any form.

MRF Deputy Chairman Ilhan Kyuchyuk thanked the party's founders, saying: "You have made it possible for the MRF to enter the democratic history of Bulgaria, which is linked to NATO and the EU. The MRF is at the foundation of Bulgarian democracy. It is thanks to these strong foundations that we firmly uphold the principles of the rule of law, human dignity and equality."

Zaid Vahid Halim, one of the 33 founders of the MRF, talked about the National Turkish Liberation Movement [to which the MRF is a successor], established as a clandestine organization in 1985. Ahmed Dogan has been with the people, working for the people for 40 years - the MRF is where Ahmed Dogan and the founders are, said Halim. 

Delyan Peevski congratulates activists and supporters

MRF leader Delyan Peevski, who is Floor Leader of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms - New Beginning, extended his congratulations in an address to all chapters, activists and supporters.

Peevski said: "The past year has been historic for our party. We went through everything together - you with me, as my family. In one year, we have accomplished much and managed to restore the lost lustre to those three letters [MRF]. We are already on the right track."

"In one year, we have transformed many of our municipalities, but there is still much to be done for our people because many of them are abroad, working and earning a decent living because Bulgaria has not offered them the conditions to stay here with their families. This is our mission as the MRF leadership - to bring our brothers and sisters back to Bulgaria, provide them with jobs, and ensure they can be with their families," Peevski stressed.

Background

The Movement for Rights and Freedoms was established in Varna (on the Black Sea) on January 4, 1990. Its 33 founders led by Ahmed Dogan came from different parts of Bulgaria. The MRF is a successor to the National Turkish Liberation Movement, established as a clandestine organization in 1985.

The MRF held its constituent conference in Sofia on March 26-27, 1990, and was registered under the Political Parties Act on April 26 of that year. Ahmed Dogan was the MRF's chairman until January 19, 2013, when he became its honorary chairman.

On Dogan's proposal, Delyan Peevski and Dzhevdet Chakarov were elected Chairmen at the MRF's last regular national conference in February 2024.

In July 2024, the MRF party split into two factions - one loyal to Ahmed Dogan and another led by Peevski. Members of the MRF who declared their loyalty to Dogan either left or were expelled from the MRF parliamentary group in the 50th National Assembly. After the October 27, 2024 snap elections, both factions are represented in the 51st National Assembly: Democracy, Rights and Freedoms with 19 MPs and Dzhevdet Chakarov as Floor Leader, and Movement for Rights and Freedoms - New Beginning with 30 MPs and Delyan Peevski as Floor Leader.

The delegates to an extraordinary national conference held on December 22, 2024 elected Peevski as the sole Chairman of the Movement. The 544 delegates voted unanimously for Peevski. The conference adopted a new party statute, which eliminates the position of "honorary chairman".