Vigenin: More respect is needed for the efforts and responsibility of BSP

“The post of Speaker of the National Assembly is not worth the political chaos and new elections. The BSP chair takes a serious approach, and our ministers work round the clock, and more respect is needed for these efforts, because an important period lies ahead for Bulgaria. All leaders should take a more responsible approach, there is no need for theatrics and for suggestions that the leader of the supporting party all but owns the state. Let there be more restraint in political behaviour.” This was stated by the member of the BSP Executive Bureau and MEP from the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats Kristian Vigenin on bTV. He commented that Natalia Kiselova has full support for her work in the BSP-United Left group and is owed thanks and respect from all parties.

He pointed out that almost nothing has been done on the judiciary and that this is the bigger problem, rather than an investigation against one mayor or another. Vigenin noted that there are commitments on this topic in the governing agreement, but on most of them there is no movement, such as the new composition of the Supreme Judicial Council. “There are many unresolved problems in the judiciary, serious work that has not been done. This breeds mistrust and degenerates into general mistrust of institutions,” the member of the BSP Executive Bureau commented. He called for a broad conversation between the governing parties and the opposition to start in order to resolve these questions.

On the topic of the debate held in Strasbourg on justice in Bulgaria, Kristian Vigenin explained that he had criticism for those Bulgarian political leaders who are now campaigning abroad, while only a year ago they were forming a qualified majority together with GERB and DPS and with the changes to the Constitution further delayed and confused the reforms in the judicial system. The MEP warned that with this approach PP-DB are making an even more grandiose image of Peevski and the impression is created that he controls everyone and everything, which is far from the truth. Vigenin called for the investigation against Blagomir Kotsev to be allowed to finish and for the indictment to be served, rather than being declared political repression in advance.

“We in BSP want transparent government, one that is not associated with corrupt practices, that puts in place strong social policies and increases incomes. To a large extent we have met part of the goals set in advance,” Vigenin emphasised.

“A review and update of the joint governing agreement should be made and the possibility for the parties in government to be represented at regional level should be discussed. One of the topics where reform is needed and which should be discussed is tax policy. But not as trading between parties, rather as a necessity in the interest of citizens,” the member of the BSP Executive Bureau concluded.