Kristian Vigenin: We owe left-thinking people in Bulgaria an effective left policy

„There are many left-thinking people in Bulgaria. The people who need left policies are many, and it is precisely to them that we owe real and effective left solutions. That is why we must show that the BSP is a contemporary, modern party that can defend their interests.“  This was said on Euronews Bulgaria by the Deputy Chair of the BSP and candidate for chair of the party Kristian Vigenin. He sets as his priority opening the party up to various professional groups, to the trade unions and to intellectual and academic circles. „If we manage to do that, we can achieve a different image for the BSP“, Vigenin said. „My programme for changes in the BSP is based on the problems I know very well, and I propose workable solutions. I propose an ideological return to the roots of left politics after a discussion across the whole party“, he emphasised. 

In his programme, which Kristian Vigenin published two weeks ago and is discussing with socialists from across the country, he intends to prevent the party from becoming dependent on large donors and to guarantee more funding for the local structures so that they are more active and can carry out initiatives of their own. 

„I am optimistic that there is an awareness among socialists of the changes needed. I intend to create a strong team with two important tasks, to keep the party’s face in a government in which the BSP is the only left formation, and to press our left policies, because we are not taking part in power just for posts“, Kristian Vigenin pointed out. He believes the consolidation of the left that began in the summer must continue and develop. Vigenin values the good tone in which the race for the post of BSP chair is proceeding so far: „We need to close down the internal rivalries. I am ready to extend a hand to everyone who has workable ideas for the party.“ He again recalled that it is good for the BSP to keep direct election, but that a decision could be taken for the congress to have the possibility of removing the chair. 

Kristian Vigenin recalled that without a working economy there can be no strong social policy. That is why at European level too he defends the cause of supporting small and medium-sized enterprises: „Small and medium-sized business needs our support. Especially in the small municipalities, they create the environment for living. At national level, decisions and initiatives to support them are also needed.“

On the topic of this year’s budget, the candidate for chair is of the opinion that reserves for increasing revenue must be sought: „We must not allow the most vulnerable to pay the price for the irresponsible financial policy so far. If the commitments to pensioners and the socially vulnerable are met, their incomes will go to the shops, and the money enters the Bulgarian economy through domestic consumption. The budget is an instrument for making policy, and we should not look at it as accounting figures.“

The election  of Donald Trump as President of the USA is something Kristian Vigenin sees as an opportunity for the EU to seek internal consolidation, to increase its own strength and weight and to invest in its economy. On the conflict in Ukraine, he believes it is necessary to seek diplomatic solutions for achieving peace, so that it does not turn out that Europe will pay the price of a continuing war.