László Andor, Secretary General of the Foundation for European Progressive Studies (FEPS) and Anja Šipek, Director of Research and Training, briefed Socialist MEPs Kristian Vigenin and Tsvetelina Penkova on the priorities of the Foundation for 2025 – stronger and more autonomous Europe, promoting social sustainability and equality, and defending democratic values.

Among the main topics were the future of the social democracy, democratic representation and citizen participation. Both sides stressed the necessity to renew the ideological basis of socialist and social democratic parties in Europe. FEPS expressed its commitment to support research, training and initiatives aimed at strengthening the role of progressive forces in the region and in Bulgaria in particular.  The discussed also the strategies to counter far-right rhetoric, strengthen citizen engagement and promote institutional reforms to strengthen democracy. FEPS produced a number of studies and policy recommendations, and offered to the Bulgarian socialist MEPs different opportunities for cooperation on tackling inequalities and improving public services.

FEPS representatives positively assessed the process of renewal and unification of the Bulgarian left, started in the summer. In this regard, they pledged to provide analytical resources, training opportunities and networking platforms to assist socialists in their efforts to restore credibility to the left in Bulgaria.