The issue of returning as leader of the BSP is not on the agenda for me. I have other serious commitments, I am worried about the BSP and I am ready to help find a way out, said the former leader of Stoletnitsa, former Prime Minister of Bulgaria in the Triple Coalition, MEP and former chairman of the PES Sergey Stanishev in an interview with the Bulgarian National Radio.
"The situation is worrying for the future of the BSP. If there is a "slaughterhouse" at the congress, the BSP will emerge weakened and with little chance to inspire its voters. A factor that is being overlooked is the emergence of a new project that will increase voter turnout, this will make the task before the BSP even more difficult", Stanishev also said.
And he admitted that it is unfortunate that the BSP may not pass the 4 percent threshold in the elections for the National Assembly:
"This is not predetermined and it is not inevitable that it will happen, but if it is not considered a risk and acted on inertia, the voters will make their choice. We are now in a schizophrenic situation. On the one hand, a positive assessment is given of the BSP's participation in the government, on the other hand, the chairman has changed, and what will she decide if something serious does not change. Things are dynamic. If we have symbolic votes that anchor us in the status quo, whoever stands at the head of the BSP, it is a lost cause. The BSP has lost its own face, especially in the last year, when it was perceived as an obedient partner of others. If you want to have a chance, you have to show that this is not the case."
He pointed out that all parties are also trying to realign themselves to Rumen Radev's project, "which obviously has wind in its sails, enormous support, because many people see in it a chance to break the status quo, and the BSP has become part of the status quo".
Stanishev commented on Bulgaria's signed participation in Donald Trump's Peace Board.
"I have concerns, because first of all it is not entirely clear what kind of board this is. Initially, it was announced about peace in Gaza and development there. Gaza is not mentioned now, but there are some such cloaks. A serious presentation was made about the development of Gaza as an investment and a hub," Stanishev commented and believes that the goal is for this Peace Board to grow into something bigger.
"Obviously, the UN is experiencing a crisis, not since yesterday, in terms of efficiency and decision-making to resolve crises. And a process is beginning for everyone to create their own structures. There is also a structure in China and we are talking about the interests and rights of countries from the global south. It is supported by many countries. Obviously, there is a process of fragmenting the world order into a group of countries. And it is good for Bulgaria to know where it is positioned. And it is in Europe, and it is important to be together with the countries of Europe, without spoiling relations with other world factors", the former Prime Minister of Bulgaria pointed out.
He admitted that he is worried about Bulgaria's participation in the Peace Board, but:
"We have a specific position - Nikolay Mladenov is the High Representative of the Board for Gaza and this could explain Bulgaria's participation before the EU. But we must be very cautious from now on in our actions."
Stanishev pointed out that there had already been a reaction from the European Council regarding Bulgaria, but "there will hardly be a public reaction, because we are a secondary factor in this process, but of course it will be taken into account":
"Europe is wandering at the moment and this is worrying, because the big factors Russia and China are playing their game and conducting an active dialogue, and the EU does not have its own plan. I am also worried about the war in Ukraine, that the EU does not have a plan for lasting peace. We look at the EU's actions and they are rather reactive, and they look like actions to sabotage Trump's actions. This is wrong as a policy. We must seek a balanced approach, not only as a settlement of territorial issues - the borders, which are on the agenda, but how to establish a security system in Europe between all factors, which does not lead to new conflicts. And that these negotiations do not become a truce until the next military conflict. The EU should really start making things look solid, tough and play its own game, and that's not being done."
The former PES leader warned that if the EU wants to be a factor, it must find a way to stop the war in Ukraine.
"Because it leads to endless costs, hundreds of billions of euros, and it's better to invest in the reconstruction of Ukraine, because this country is on the verge of complete collapse - 8-10 million Ukrainians are abroad and most of them will not return. Otherwise, this will become a permanent plague for the whole of Europe and a tragedy for the Ukrainian people," Stanishev said.
According to him, the EU must create equal relations with China, India and MERCOSUR, because the US has left the role of world hegemon, but it bears responsibility - – "our interest is #1 and everyone else must obey", but this will not be sustainable and we must build active partnerships in order to have our own weight.