"Yes, Bulgaria", "Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria" and "Continue the Change" will run together in the upcoming early parliamentary elections.
In "Speak Now" on BNT, Nadezhda Yordanova emphasized that the key priorities are fair elections, meritocratic selection of candidates and stronger political representation of young people. Yordanova noted that trust in elections and institutions can only be restored through real changes and the active participation of citizens.
"We must ensure in these lists, and in any other future lists, adequate representation of all groups of the population in the Bulgarian state, of all Bulgarian citizens. We saw that the energy of politically active young people is an extremely positive, constructive thing that our Bulgaria needs. Therefore, young people with their drive, with their vision for the future, we also heard responsibility, must have their own political representation. Yes, young people have different views. I completely agree that they are colorful, but we can say that they unite around several important things.
Many times I am extremely happy, hopeful that in the conversation we heard fair elections. Young people want fair elections so that they can have confidence that the Bulgarian people are adequately represented in the National Assembly and the government is legitimate. We saw in the squares that young people want justice, legality, a country free from the mafia. This is a unifying link. So, regardless of how much more left you are, how much more right you are, how much more pro-European you are, there are things that unite them. So, this is our concern at the moment, to ensure representation and, of course, to unite efforts for fair elections," said Yordanova.
Regarding the young people's request for adequate scholarships that would provide them with a peaceful study without having to work during their studies to support themselves, Yordanova commented:
"We from "Democratic Bulgaria", together with our colleagues from "Continuing the Change", both in our programs and in our experiments, have made efforts to ensure that higher education, how education can become better, meets the needs of society. I completely agree with the young people who were with you that, unfortunately, at the moment, the higher education system does not provide sufficient guarantees that you will acquire adequate knowledge and skills so that you can realize yourself. Unfortunately, in Bulgaria the student labor system is not well developed, because we know that abroad, and I have been abroad for some time, there is a very streamlined system that allows the student to both study and work and to be able to calmly complete their education. So this is an extremely important topic."
When asked what part of the coalition lists will be occupied by young people, the former Minister of Justice replied:
"We from "Yes, Bulgaria" had a decision of the National Council, which very clearly states that the selection should be on a meritocratic principle, according to the ability and qualities of people to represent the voters and the regions, the different communities and that there should be no alternative to party quotas. So there is no, at least in the negotiations, such is the mandate for our leaders, when the joint lists are formed, that there should be no quota principle, that there should be no fragmentation, and that the best should find a place at the front. I call on everyone, the entire political class, to listen to the voice of the young, not to pretend that nothing has happened in the remaining weeks of the parliamentary session - to actually amend the Electoral Code in such a way as to guarantee fair elections and restore confidence in the elections."
"We will do everything possible to convince our opponents or the other parliamentary forces in the parliament and for everyone to ultimately bear responsibility. For what they propose, how they hear the voice of Bulgarian citizens and what political responsibility they bear. Here again I want to appeal to both active young people and the entire society that the fairness of the elections depends on all of us. There are currently mechanisms in place, I urge them to get involved in protecting the elections, both the conduct and the reporting of the results, and to join the various platforms that recruit guardians of the vote."
The former Minister of Justice warned that the prosecutor's office has been usurped by a narrow circle of people and is acting to the detriment of the public interest.
"Sarafov is not the Prosecutor General, he is temporarily acting as the Prosecutor General. He should have vacated this office on July 22 last year, in the morning. What is happening now, a group of people who are taunting Peevski, are once again usurping the Prosecutor General's Office and, accordingly, the Prosecutor General's Office. This must stop. Because it is to the detriment of Bulgarian citizens and because, as was seen from last year's actions, it cannot guarantee fair elections."