We Continue the Change - Despite the Storm: Vassilev Holds Firm Amid Party Upheaval

The National Council of the “We Continue the Change” (WCC) party reaffirmed its confidence in Asen Vassilev amid ongoing turmoil following corruption allegations linked to Sofia Municipality. The party’s broad leadership met in Sofia to address the crisis, which led to the resignation of co-chairman Kiril Petkov, while Vassilev retained his position. The party is preparing for a General Assembly on September 27–28, where new governing bodies will be elected.

Vassilev described last week as historic, highlighting Petkov’s resignation as a significant act of political responsibility, emphasizing that the country’s interests outweigh personal positions. The National Council echoed this sentiment, expressing unified support for Vassilev and the Executive Council, underscoring the party’s commitment to its foundational values and ongoing development.

The Council also announced plans to convene an elective General Assembly to revise the party statute and establish new control bodies. Vassilev dismissed rumors of the party’s collapse, noting a nearly balanced flow of membership applications and resignations despite the crisis, with over 6,000 paying members.

Regarding the corruption scandal, Vassilev acknowledged it as one of the party’s toughest weeks but urged a distinction between verified facts and speculation. He confirmed a deputy mayor had spoken about corruption but stressed that accusations of appointment pressures were unfounded, pointing out that none of the allegedly pressured individuals were actually appointed.

Petkov, who resigned amid allegations of pressuring district mayors over public procurement, addressed the National Council but did not attend the subsequent briefing. He declared no intention to seek re-election as co-chairman and is expected to formalize his resignation from parliament shortly.

Following the scandal, several district mayors and municipal councilors left WCC, citing pressure. Anti-Corruption Commission officers searched Sofia Municipality, and charges were filed against four individuals for bribery and involvement in an organized crime group. Deputy Mayor Nikola Barbutov was suspended by Sofia Mayor Vasil Terziev and placed under a restraining order after being charged with bribery and organized crime participation. Barbutov and businessman Petar Rafailov were both remanded in custody.

Vassilev did not clarify whether he would run for party leadership at the upcoming assembly. He also denied allegations linking Lena Borislavova to undue influence in public procurement, calling for an investigation into the leak of investigative materials to the media, warning that such leaks could jeopardize the trial.

He criticized the selective nature of investigations by prosecutors and the Anti-Corruption Commission, contrasting this with the party’s efforts to submit numerous reports on significant financial damages affecting Bulgarian citizens. These included cases related to “Botas,” energy holdings, and alleged smuggling protected by political figures.

Vassilev condemned the selective approach as detrimental to justice and affirmed Petkov’s choice to resign as his own. Responding to media claims of bribery proposals by district mayors, Vassilev urged officials to report directly to prosecutors rather than making vague public statements, condemning the spread of unfounded allegations.

Addressing broader accusations that political figures are uniformly corrupt, Vassilev challenged the media to compare his party’s record with others, highlighting the return of controversial figures to leadership in other parties such as GERB (Vladislav Goranov) and DPS (Delyan Peevski), noting sanctions under the U.S. Magnitsky Act.

Vassilev acknowledged the ongoing political struggle and smear campaigns but insisted WCC remains committed to its anti-corruption mission despite the challenges.