Ex Bulgarian President Hails Rival Stanishev's PES Win

Georgi Parvanov is a former chair of the largest Bulgarian leftist formation BSP, in the late 1990s, and two-term President of Bulgaria in 2002-2012. Photo by BGNES

Former Bulgarian President, Georgi Parvanov, has saluted rival Sergey Stanishev for his victory in the election for President of the Party of European Socialists, PES.

Last Saturday, at the 9th PES Congress, Stanishev, a former Prime Minister and Chairman of the main opposition Bulgarian Socialist Party, BSP, was elected almost unanimously (91% of the vote) to head all Socialists in Europe.

In the aftermath, Parvanov sent him a congratulations letter, 24 Chassa (24 Hours) daily reports.

"This is not only a personal recognition, but a recognition for the place and the role of Bulgaria's left wing in the past and in the present for the global and European leftist movement, and for the advancement it had in modern times as one of the main factors for democratic changes in Bulgarian society," Parvanov writes.

The ex Head of State further notes that Stanishev's election comes at a difficult moment when European and world Socialists seek new answers to the challenges of the economic crisis.

Parvanov is a former chair of the largest Bulgarian leftist formation BSP, in the late 1990s, and two-term President of Bulgaria in 2002-2012.

After ending his second term as President in January 2012, Parvanov launched a campaign to reclaim the Socialists' leader position.

However, at the party congress May 19-20, he felt his standing was not strong enough and withdrew his candidacy, paving the way for Stanishev's reelection.

Stanishev already made it clear that he would not give up on being the leader of Bulgarians Socialists as well, dimming any possible hopes Parvanov could have harbored.