Leader of Bulgaria Socialists' Sofia Unit Quits

Rumen Ovcharov, pictured as a MP in the Bulgarian Parliament's plenary hall. Photo by BGNES

Rumen Ovcharov, one of the most influential figures of Bulgaria's main opposition party, the Bulgarian Socialist Party, stated he will be quitting the chair of the Socialists' Sofia organization.

Saturday the Sofia unit of the Bulgarian Socialist Party is holding a sitting of review and regional leader election, ahead of the party congress next weekend at which socialists will elect their party leader.

"12 years are enough. I will not run to be the chair of our Sofia organization," said a tearful Ovcharov, reports the Bulgarian National Radio.

Ovcharov's decision is however also necessitated by the statute of the party, which mandates that a person who is a currently MP cannot run for leadership of the party's regional organizations.

Rumen Ovcharov has been an MP in 3 Bulgarian Parliaments prior to the current one.

He was also the first Minister of Economy and Energy in Bulgaria's last cabinet, the tripartite coalition cabinet headed by Socialist leader Sergey Stanishev (2005-9).

A controversial minister, Ovcharov was forced to file his resignation in 2007 after allegations of connections in a massive corruption scandal involving Sofia's heating utility company.

Rumen Ovcharov was also Minister of Energy in the short-lived socialist cabinet led by Zhan Videnov (1995-7).

One of the most influential figures in the Bulgarian Socialist Party, Ovcharov is supportive of current leader Sergey Stanishev against the bid of former Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov (2002-12), who wants to reclaim the leadership position of the leftists at the congress next weekend.

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