Bulgarian Socialists: Ex President's Ambition Is Problematic

MP Anton Kutev is one of the key figures in the Bulgarian Socialist Party, BSP. Photo by BGNES

Key figures from the opposition, left-wing Bulgarian Socialist Party are becoming fed-up with the aggressive behavior of former Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov.

As soon as he left office in January, after two terms as President, Parvanov begin a battle with ex-Prime Minister and BSP leader, Sergey Stanishev, for the party helm, but demonstrates non-stop that he is the certain winner.

On Wednesday, the BSP Member of the Parliament, Anton Kutev, told the Bulgarian National Radio, BNR, that from being a successful President, Parvanov in just days walked the path to becoming a problem.

"I don't know if he is a problem that has a solution. No one wants to throw him out of the party, but he is becoming a problem. He is a problem because he is important for the party. We do not want to divide it between Parvanov and Stanishev; he is dividing it and it does not help us. Personally I don't have any discomfort about who the leader will be. I am not in a battle for the leadership, but in a battle for BSP," Kutev said.

The MP stressed that disagreements among the Socialists only work for Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, and his ruling, center-right Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria party GERB, adding that Borisov already crushed the far-right, nationalist Ataka and the conservative Order, Law and Justice, RZS, parties and BSP would be next.

"Our grandmothers do not want to be forced to choose between Stanishev and Parvanov; they want BSP. Some people do not realize the huge responsibility bestowed on them," he pointed out.

On Tuesday, Stanishev stated that Parvanov's annoucement that he will run for leader of Bulgaria's Socialists might have negative effects on the party.

Four people have already been nominated for the post – Parvanov, Stanishev, who is also the leader of the Party of European Socialists, PES, and BSP MPs, Korneliya Ninova, and Ivelin Nikolov, according to the Bulgarian Trud (Labor) daily.