Leadership of the Alternative for Bulgarian Revival (ABV) party held a press conference on Monday.
The event took place at the head office of the party in the capital city Sofia.
“The ABV is already a factor that cannot be circumvented,” said ABV leader and former Bulgarian president (2002-2012) Georgi Parvanov, speaking at the event.
Mr Parvanov congratulated all winners in the first round of the elections.
He commented the good results of the Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (CEDB) were due to the successful local manner of governing of their representatives.
“When we have an opponent that manages things well, we have to admit that,” the ABV leader noted.
In his words, the local elections were a big trial to the ABV.
“It was not easy to launch a campaign starting from zero but we have done it and now have representation in populated places. I will not manage to mention all ABV representatives in municipalities by the end of the day [if I begin saying them]. In this respect, the results of the ABV are good,” Georgi Parvanov concluded.
“The ABV preserves its presence in political life. The minimum of 4% sociological agencies predict for us puts us higher in rankings than lots of other parties. But we do not want to compare ourselves to others; the ABV’s result is satisfactory. When the ABV emerged, some people thought it would have a very short life but the ABV is already a factor that cannot be circumvented not only in the left-wing but in the political spectrum as a whole,” Parvanov added.
“I do not think the result from the local elections can be a factor for the ruling coalition’s stability,” the former president commented.
“The ABV party reaches out an open hand to the leftist forces in Bulgaria,” Georgi Parvanov announced.
“The ABV is ready a fact that cannot be circumvented and if anyone does not consider this, he or she can only lose,” Parvanov was explicit.
“Alas, the left-wing loses over this and I do not agree with those analysts, according to whom, the split in the left-wing is the main if not the only reason for this. The reason is hidden inside – in the lack of a change, of a deep promising change of the left-wing,” the ABV chair opined.
In his words, the left-wing should change unless it wants to perish.
“I repeat that too often at our meetings and press conferences. Now, in the period between the first and second round of local elections I wish to say the ABV has again reached out an open hand to the leftist forces in Bulgaria in all their aspects, not only to Pozitano [the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP)],” Parvanov said further.
“We are willing to hold talks in the period between the first and second round of elections with social democrats, leftist agrarians, centrist parties, and patriotic organisations and we will do it. Moreover, we are proposing this and saying we have the readiness for a draft agreement with those of them that are willing to come to an agreement in such a manner. We deem it important there is a draft agreement at a central level,” Parvanov said further.
In his words, the idea of some BSP members talks would not be held at a central level had failed.
“We reached an agreement in a few municipalities but owing to the will and blessing of our head office but this is not sufficient,” the ABV leader remarked.
“I can now say I will go to [the town of] Vratsa and find the best way to support Nikolay Ivanov, who has been so far mayor, but if they rely on similar incidental actions, lots of left-wing mayors will lose and they [left-wing mayors] are not a high number,” Georgi Parvanov stated.
Nikolay Ivanov will likely take part in a run-off vote next Sunday.
“We do not feel like winners but like part of the ruling coalition,” the ABV leader remarked, referring to the thesis the ruling coalition had won the local elections.
“We have our small victories and they are dearer to us than such a gift victory. We did not participate in the local elections as a coalition and I want to make this distinction,” the politician said further.
“The future and stability of the coalition is a function of its work. If we govern well, if ministers do their jobs the way in which [Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Labour and Social Policy] Ivaylo Kalfin does [and] if the parliament does not creates scandals but real working laws, this coalition will work until the end of its mandate. It has a good future but it is not related to the results achieved at the local elections,” Parvanov opined.
In his words, the local election results are a prerequisite for successful local self-government that works successfully and the ABV will make its contribution in this direction.
“The local elections have showed there is shifting in the layers of Bulgarian politics,” Georgi Parvanov concluded.
“The local elections are not a reason for a change to the government formula. They rather indicate there is temporary movement in the layers of Bulgarian politics. This movement is even not that tangible. Prime Minister [Boyko] Borisov is right the results have confirmed the domination of the parties in the coalition without our participating as such in the local elections,” the ABV leader remarked.
He said he would be glad if oppositional parties were made part of separate initiatives and legislative decisions in particular.