Socialist Leader: Bulgarians Pin Their Last Hopes on Us

Stanishev, who has chaired the Socialists since 2002, and is the acting interim President of the Party of European Socialists, is to face Parvanov in the BSP leadership battle on May 19-20, 2012. Photo by Sofia Photo Agency

Days before their crucial congress, Bulgaria's opposition Socialist party leader has addressed members and supporters, stressing the need to unite against ruling GERB.

"Before, during, and after the congress we must be united in out fight against the currently ruling party GERB, which is destroying Bulgaria," Sergey Stanishev said in his short address.

He stressed that people see the Socialist party as the only alternative to GERB and did not mention even once former President Georgi Parvanov, who is his main rival for the leadership post.

The Socialist leader played down the tensions and war of words that preceded the congress and said the party members head for the crucial event fully aware of their responsibilities and the importance of the decisions they have to take.

"Bulgaria expects us to show an alternative to the status quo, to show strength, responsibility and willingness to make changes," Stanishev stressed.

"I urge every one of you to live up to people's expectations and the tasks that lie ahead. Because today Bulgarians have pinned their last hopes on us," added the Socialist leader.

Ex Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev appears to be in a stronger position to retain the leadership of the Bulgarian Socialist Party vis-a-vis former President Georgi Parvanov.

Stanishev, who has chaired the Socialists since 2002, and is the acting interim President of the Party of European Socialists, is to face Parvanov in the BSP leadership battle on May 19-20, 2012.

The press center of the Socialist Party announced Wednesday that Sergey Stanishev (Prime Minister of Bulgaria in 2005-2009) has received a total of 160 nominations for the chairmanship of the formation vs. only 69 nominations for Georgi Parvanov (President of Bulgaria in 2002-2012).

A total of 262 BSP units in Bulgaria have held internal caucuses, with 87 of them nominating only Stanishev, and 8 nominating only Parvanov.

The news about breakdown of leadership nominations precedes the 48th Congress of the Bulgarian Socialist Party scheduled for May 19-20, when the delegates will have to make a choice between Georgi Parvanov and his former prot?g? Sergey Stanishev.

Parvanov chaired the BSP in 1997-2001, until he got elected President and eventually served two five-year terms (2002-2012); he promoted Stanishev as his successor, who has been chairing the Socialists even since; in 2005-2009, Stanishev served as Prime Minister in charge of the government of the three-way coalition, which included BSP, ex Tsar and PM Simeon Saxe-Coburg's party NMSP, and the ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS).

Stanishev has recently criticized his opponent for the party leadership, ex President (2002-2012) Georgi Parvanov, for making "self-destructive" hints of collaboration with the ruling GERB party of Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, while Parvanov has encouraged Stanishev to seek the permanent Presidency of the Party of European Socialists, apparently hoping to divert him from the domestic leadership battle.

Stanishev, however, has made it clear that he will seek to become elected as the chief of the European Socialists only if he retains his chairmanship at the BSP.

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