The Congress has received 52 proposals from the municipal organizations for the chairman of the BSP, with some of the nominees having withdrawn. This was announced by the chairwoman of the Nominations Committee Rumyana Siderova to the delegates at the meeting of the 51st BSP Congress, quoted by BTA. She pointed out that the list also includes people who have left the BSP.
Among those nominated for the leadership post are Krum Zarkov, Borislav Gutsanov, Kaloyan Pargov, Ivan Takov, Gabriel Valkov, Atanas Zafirov, Atanas Atanasov, Dragomir Stoynev, Kiril Dobrev, Petar Vitanov, Rumen Ovcharov and Sergey Stanishev.
Dragomir Stoynev and Kaloyan Pargov have already told the delegates that they will not join the race for the leadership post.
Thank you for the nominations, but I will not be a candidate for chairman of today's congress, said the chairman of the parliamentary group of "BSP-United Left" Dragomir Stoynev. The BSP is a solid party machine, he pointed out. In his words, abrupt and strong leadership is as much a risk as weak and weak-willed leadership.
Stoynev said that he refuses to be on the lists for the upcoming elections, and pointed out that new people are needed there. Politics is not a sprint, it is a relay race, he said. In his words, it is important for the BSP not to lose itself and to be ready programmatically and organizationally. Bulgaria will always need the BSP, Dragomir Stoynev concluded his speech.
The current and retiring deputy chairman of the BSP, Kaloyan Pargov, said that he will not participate in the race for BSP leader because he does not want to split and divide the votes into four. I see at least two who want to go all the way, he pointed out.
There is no need to subject ourselves to endless night elections. That is why I will take a step aside, because I want us to leave not offended, but united, said Kaloyan Pargov. The BSP can do without each of us, but Bulgaria cannot do without the BSP, he believes. Pargov pointed out to the delegates that at this dramatic moment everyone must think about how to save this party and idea together by participating in the next parliament.
In his speech to the delegates, Atanas Zafirov resigned as chairman of the BSP. The congress agenda also includes an analysis of the participation of “BSP-United Left“ in the government, adoption of a platform for the next elections, changes to the Statute, early termination of the powers of the BSP chairman and election of a chairman of the party.