BSP elected deputy chairmen and the party's Executive Bureau

The party will strengthen its role as a factor of stability and reason in government, said Zafirov

Mar 9, 2025 14:20 68

BSP elected deputy chairmen and the party's Executive Bureau - 1

BSP is the fifth political force, but at the same time, our political and managerial weight at this stage is key to having a regular government, a budget, and I would add reason in this complex government. It is important to put the national interest above the narrow party interest. We showed this very clearly and we closed the topic of why we are in this government to the Congress.

I will not tire of repeating that the BSP is a collective party and the time for unilateral decisions is over. The full hall today confirms this statement of mine. I want to state clearly that the BSP representatives in the government are clear exponents of the programmatic and ideological views of the party and the coalition. Our collective bodies must have both the potential and the desire to return to their place, to develop policies, to defend positions and to be the back of our ministers in the government and our entire parliamentary group. Our strength has always been in this. Our participation in both the executive and legislative branches needs such support.

As the Chairman of the National Assembly of the BSP and Deputy Prime Minister, I will work to make this relationship permanent, vibrant, long-term and continuous.

We must be as sober and frank as possible regarding our public weight and the challenges it faces. We must first admit to ourselves that our participation in this government carries certain risks. These were the main criticisms of the people who wanted us to be in the rather comfortable, at first glance, opposition in which we lived for a long time. This risk can be overcome by our ministers, their work, but most of all by the party as a collective entity and a collective body that can work much more publicly and much more actively. Work on reforms has already begun with Budget 2025. In the budget that is about to be adopted, we have tried through the ministers and through our parliamentary group to protect our priorities as much as possible. We have tried for this budget to set a clear, supra-party, Bulgarian horizon.

It is also important to restore the role of the councils to the National Council. As a party, we must radiate adequacy, stability and demonstrate activity, which goes precisely through the work of these councils.

I propose that we reverse the process in the BSP. Our strength must start from within, from here, from this hall and continue outward. This also means that the Executive Bureau and the National Council should be active and constantly operating bodies, and their members should have the obligation and responsibility to work to restore the authority and public trust of the BSP locally. Being a member of the National Assembly does not mean only attending a meeting in Sofia, it means being engaged in party work locally continuously.

And here is the place for the topic of “elections”. I do not think that the survival of the government at this point is in question, although we are witnessing the blackmail of so-called “partners”, despite the severe trials such as the budget and the situation with the crisis in Ukraine and the escalation of tension. Even if the possibility of early parliamentary elections is not visible at the moment, other elections are coming - presidential, local. Unfortunately, the BSP has a lot to catch up on after years of demonstrating disregard for local structures. And we here are a sample of local structures. There, the work must be daily, operational and highly motivated.

Finally, let me share a few words on the hot topics, because, as I said, I value dialogue and collectivity.

From the Congress to today, the BSP has managed to categorically defend the social vector in the budget. I thank my colleagues and partners who showed understanding. We have managed to defend some very important principles for us, to adequately respond legislatively to the arbitrariness of the chains, which took them sharply out of their comfort zone, to continue to be a pivot for the functioning of the left in Bulgaria.

I know that some are trying to turn the topic of Ukraine into a social and political watershed. The BSP has categorically shown itself here as a bearer of the power of reason. In a very complex governance configuration, in a very complex configuration in the EU, we manage to be a factor in restraining extremes and adhering to the thesis, for a non-military solution to this conflict and for achieving peace through diplomacy. We received recognition for this last week during the meeting of the PES leaders in Brussels. I believe that our presence in the government will also be a factor for a balanced position of our country. Our parliamentary group was the driving force behind the adoption of the joint declaration on not sending soldiers to Ukraine.

Dear comrades,

In conclusion, I would like to wish you fruitful work and remind you of what drives us - the need to strengthen the BSP and, through our policies and actions, to consolidate our role as a factor of stability and reason in governance.

The National Council of the Bulgarian Socialist Party unanimously adopted the deputy chairmen and the party's Executive Bureau

The National Council of the Bulgarian Socialist Party unanimously adopted the deputy chairmen and the party's Executive Bureau, proposed by the chairman Atanas Zafirov in the following composition:

1.Atanas Zafirov - chairman;

2. Ivan Takov - deputy chairman for public policies;

3. Kaloyan Pargov - deputy chairman for ideological and program development;

4. Ivan Peshev - deputy chairman for party activity;

5. Dragomir Stoynev - deputy chairman for parliamentary and legislative activity;

6. Ivan Ivanov - deputy chairman for regional policy;

7. Deyan Dechev - organizational secretary for organizational activities and elections;

8. Atanas Atanasov - organizational secretary for organizational activities and elections;

9. Tsvetelina Penkova - organizational secretary for international activities;

10. Filip Popov - organizational secretary for general coordination and control over the implementation of decisions;

11. Kiril Dobrev;

12. Manol Genov;