Socialist Presidential Rival: GERB's Nomination Shows Impotence

Bulgarian Socialist Party presidential candidate Ivailo Kalfin. Photo by BGNES

The nomination of Regional Development Minister Rosen Plevneliev for presidential candidate of the ruling GERB party shows their lack of apt cadre and fear to lose, stated key rival, Bulgarian Socialist Party presidential nominee Ivailo Kalfin.

In a statement, Kalfin congratulated Plevneliev and his running mate, Minister of Justice Margarita Popova, and pointed out they both are great experts in their fields.

He nevertheless strongly characterized their figures as technocratic and inept for the position of head of state of the nation.

"Instead of candidates who are prepared and well versed in areas relating to the powers of the president, we see that GERB relies on the public trust in two ministerial figures," said the socialist candidate, who is MEP from PES.

"Bulgaria needs a competent, strong and independent head of state, not a party puppet," added he.

According to Kalfin the nomination of Plevneliev and Popova makes October 23 presidential elections a popular vote of confidence in the policies of the GERB cabinet led by PM Boyko Borisov.

The socialist candidate invited his GERB rival to a debate, "as soon as possible," on the role of the institution of the President of Bulgaria and how it can shape Bulgaria's future.

"Not every tree makes a good pipe," quipped Kalfin, using a popular Bulgarian proverb, concluding that Bulgaria is not a joint-stock company and thus does not need a manager for president.

Rosen Plevneliev has made pride of himself as being an expert and technocrat and has preferred to stay out of what he saw as the detrimental side effects of politics.

His rival Ivailo Kalfin has served as Bulgaria's Foreign Affairs Minister in the cabinet of socialist leader Sergei Stanishev 2005-9.

Before that he was adviser to outgoing Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov during part of the latter's first term in office, 2002-7.

Opinion polls made over the summer have it that Kalfin is probable to finish second or third together with independent candidate and ex-EU Commissioner Meglena Kuneva, giving around 15% of the vote for each.

According to polls, the then yet unnamed GERB candidate had a comfortable lead with over 30% of Bulgarians saying they will vote for him or her.

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