Kristian Vigenin in Plovdiv: We will create a network of young academics, we must restore the intellectual potential of the BSP

„I am meeting many socialists across the country. We must hear the party, not go around with a megaphone imposing an opinion. Over the years I have become convinced that when the collective wisdom of the party is given a chance, mistakes rarely happen.“ This was stated by the Deputy Chair of the BSP and candidate for chair of the party Kristian Vigenin at a meeting with socialists in Plovdiv. He recalled that he had led the list in the city twice: „There are many active people here who care about the left idea, and we must find the right solutions and actively involve everyone in carrying them out. I am the only candidate who has presented a programme for the development of the BSP. It is not a theoretical exercise but the result of the concrete problems I have encountered and for which I have sought answers. Some of my ideas are not new, but in the past I did not find support for putting them into practice. Now I am ready to take personal responsibility.“

Kristian Vigenin emphasised that years ago the BSP was the party with the greatest intellectual potential: „The flower of the nation was with us. Little by little we brought ourselves to a position of having a weak presence in academic circles, among students and young figures in culture, and among opinion leaders in various professional communities. The attitude towards the BSP also depends on who identifies with it and who speaks about it. I propose that we create a network of young academics, university lecturers and doctoral students. Let us create an environment for them in which they feel like a team and grow together in their profession and in science.“

Questions from the audience

Asked from the hall about his attitude to imposing sanctions on Russia and to the European Parliament resolutions, Vigenin pointed out that he firmly defends the platform on which he was elected and that he is categorical on this topic. From the very beginning he has informed his colleagues of the BSP’s positions against the sanctions and against the continuation of military aid for Ukraine, and in support of diplomatic efforts to end the war and achieve lasting peace. „Tsvetelina Penkova and I vote against the resolutions on Russia that are tabled every month in the EP. I won us the right to have a different opinion from the Group of the Socialists and Democrats, of which we are part, and I defend it in the discussions. I believe that our arguments will gradually find broader support, especially now, after the change of power in the USA.“, he explained.

On the topic of the figure of the BSP chair and whether he would be able to combine that position with being an MEP, Kristian Vigenin stressed that he intends to create a strong team with clearly allocated responsibilities and to return the centre of decision-making to the party bodies, the National Council and the Executive Bureau. In this way the next Executive Bureau would include BSP representatives from the executive, members of parliament and MEPs, mayors and municipal councillors, and representatives of the horizontal structures. „I see the advantages of the chair not being a member of the government and not bearing personal responsibility for all the cabinet’s decisions, and not being a member of parliament having to vote daily together with GERB and the MRF. I have carefully judged that I can combine my commitments in Brussels with the post of chair of the BSP, and besides, the position in the European Parliament gives access to a level of political decisions that would otherwise be hard to reach. It is no coincidence that even now a number of my colleagues from various political groups are leaders of national parties, including governing ones. But my responsibility to the BSP comes first and I have no hesitation about reconsidering this position if I judge it necessary.“, the Deputy Chair of the BSP said.

„The election of a BSP chair is not a battle but a contest of ideas, and I am taking part in it to win. I treat each of the candidates with respect, and I hope that in the time remaining until the election we will gather the good ideas and then do what is most useful for the BSP. I will extend a hand to everyone, because only if we work together can we build a strong BSP!“, Kristian Vigenin concluded.