Bulgarian Ex-President Sets Up Coalition ahead of EU Vote

Former Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov has announced that his political project would have its own EU election ticket.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Parvanov revealed that the ABV movement will take part in the upcoming EU elections in a coalition with a number of other parties.

He refused to name the said parties, explaining that he feared of “pressure.”

Analysts believe the left-wing politicians move could result in a serious rift within the ruling Bulgarian Socialist Party.

But Parvanov assured that no members of ABV intend to leave BSP, adding that he does not seek to form a new party.

Addressing BSP’s criticism that an alternative EU election list would benefit the opposition center-right GERB party of former PM Boyko Borisov, Parvanov claimed that GERB would be his main opponents.

“We will fight against pseudopatriotism and pseudonationalism,” the former President said, referring to the ultranationalist Ataka party that has so far provided key support for BSP’s fragile minority government.

Parvanov said he believed a media empire close to BSP leader Sergey Stanishev and shady businessman Delyan Peevski has been responsible for a number of media attacks against ABV over the past few days.

Ivaylo Kalfin, MEP and former Foreign Minister (2005-2009), is expected to head ABV’s EU election list.

Key Bulgarian Socialist Party officials have already condemned Parvanov and Kalfin as “traitors.”

Bulgaria’s embattled  Socialist-led government remains in power despite seven months of relentless anti-graft protests.

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