05 août 2007
Bulgaria's President Appoints Election Committee for Local Vote
Bulgaria's President Georgi Parvanov signed a decree over appointing the election body for the local vote, due on October 28.
The lawyer Svetla Dimitrova will chair the committee.
Her deputies will be Ivanka Grozeva and Elena Markova, both lawyers and the mathematician Alexander Petrov. The committee's secretary will be Mustafa Karadayi.
http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=83786
31 octobre 2006
Bulgaria Takes Final Turn to Europe
Francois Frison-Roche
Political Analyst
France
http://standartnews.com/en/article.php?d=2006-10-30&article=1528
Georgi Parvanov has notched a nice victory - there were no surprises but it's a really good victory. The question that suggests itself now is how it will be put to use. Let me open a bracket here - the low turnout rate was a signal from the electorate. And even if we prefer a different runoff that would have drawn more voters, this by no means makes Parvanov's victory less significant. This is his victory as much as it is the victory of the principles of the transition. This is the victory of the consensus in Bulgaria over the major issues of the recent decade. This is a clear signal that Bulgaria has taken its final turn to Europe. At the same time, these results ask for a close analysis, because both at the first and the second round many Bulgarians have signaled that there are serious problems in the country. For the second time after the general election of 2005 the Bulgarians gave a sign that a large number of painful problems have to be resolved. It is time to go further than simplistic analyses of the vote in favor of Volen Siderov. What will Bulgaria's re-elected President do from now on?
As a humble outside observer I can say that he had five years to choose whether to enter the Bulgarian history books as a statesman and a personality who shoulders the responsibility the time demands or to keep to a strictly political level. Whether President Parvanov will manage to steer Bulgaria along the European course or will he be forced to keep to the traditional political dabbling, which could precipitate early general elections and new disputes despite the fact that successful European integration is Bulgaria's unquestionable priority.
January 1 is just the beginning you have to preserve your current momentum. In order to do this Bulgaria needs at least three years of stability. The Bulgarian government has to give answers to the questions raised by the EU and give solutions to the problems that are pointed out in the latest reports of the European Commission. The President has to reassure all Bulgarians who feel uneasy about the role of the predominantly Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) in the governance of the country. I am convinced that the majority of the Bulgarians who live in regions with ethnically mixed population have nothing against the Turkish minority. However, the MRF should not be regarded as a Turkish party that interferes in the Bulgarian affairs. This is one contradiction that President Parvanov has to resolve. In addition, the President finally has to cope with the problems of the integration of the Roma minority. Parvanov has five years to succeed or fail. It all depends on his position towards the minorities and towards the government. It is important that Bulgarian right-wing political parties learn their lesson from the elections. They have to try to find the reasons why they lost the support of their electorate and analyze what has happened. We had similar problems in France - these are natural processes that we have to live through. The Bulgarian nation has to prove that it is not crippled and will not progress with a limp. On the other hand, the President should not try to stop the recovery of the right-wing parties.
Francois Frison-Roche: Bulgaria definitely took the European direction
SOFIA (bnn)- In an opinion published today in Standart Daily the French political expert Francois Frison-Roche congratulates President Georgi Parvanov for his reelection and asks what use the President will make of his victory.
This victory is a victory of the principles of the transition and of the existing consensus on the priority issues in Bulgaria in the last ten years. This is a clear signal, that Bulgaria has definitely taken the European direction, Frison-Roche says. But the results of the election also confirm the message that the Bulgarians addressed at the parliamentary election of 2005, that there are problems in society and that there is a need to find answers to a number of painful questions. What will the reelected Bulgarian President do from now on?
The view of Frison-Roche is that the President has five years to enter in the Bulgarian history as a statesman and a person who has assumed the responsibilities of his time, or to stay at a politician level. Will President Parvanov be able to keep Bulgaria in its European course or will he be constrained to stay in the sphere of the traditional political dabbling, which could for instance lead to an early parliamentary election, to new disputes, while the priority for Bulgaria is its successful integration to the EU, the French political expert argues. Because January 1st is only a beginning and Bulgaria should not slow down with its efforts, and in this regard the country needs at least three years of stability, Frison-Roche states.
There is a need for Bulgaria and its government to address the critics of the European Commission in its last reports. There is a need for the President to carry out enormous pedagogical work and to address the fears of some Bulgarians, who clearly dread the role of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms in the country. President Parvanov has five years at his disposal to succeed, or to fail, Frison-Roche states. Everything depends on his position towards the parliamentary majority, towards the government, whose head he is in fact, the political expert adds.
Frison-Roche also underlines the fact that it is necessary and beneficiary for the Center-Right to learn a lesson from these elections and to understand why the people have drifted apart from it. According to him, the President should not prevent the Bulgarian Right from restoring its unity.
In conclusion Frison-Roche says it is important to accomplish two successful mandates but what you leave behind you is of greatest importance. He gives the example of Poland - Kwasniewski also ran two mandates, which at first sight seemed successful, but the actual situation of the country is not that good.
/bnn/
http://www.bgnewsnet.com/story.php?lang=en&sid=22263
Second Term in Office
| 30 October 2006 | 07:10 | FOCUS News Agency |
The President of Bulgaria Georgi Parvanov won a second term in office at the Presidential elections in Bulgaria held on Sunday.
Parvanov commented on his result saying that such big difference between the votes of the two candidates at runoff was unprecedented. For the first time a result over 60% is formed within one week and we still don’t know the final result, which can exceed 70%, he said.
The ‘protest’ vote came from the people, who didn’t vote. The votes for Attack are exactly votes for Attack, Volen Siderov, Parvanov’s opponent said.
Final Election Results According to NCIOM: Georgi Parvanov – 77,3%, Volen Siderov – 22,7%
FOCUS News Agency
Sofia. “The final results of the presidential elections are as follows: Georgi Parvanov – 77,3%, Volen Siderov – 22,7%. The voter turnout was 41%”. This is what the head of the National Center for Public Opinion Studies (NCIOM) Lidia Yordanova told BNR. According to her 17% of the Bulgarian citizens who voted today did not vote at the first round last Sunday.
Lidia Yordanova commented that one-fifth of those who voted today are people under the age of 30 and one-quarter are over 30 years old.
72% of the supporters of the Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (CEDB) who voted today supported Georgi Parvanov, the NCIOM director added.
We Defeated 12 Political Parties: Attack Party Leader
FOCUS News Agency
Sofia. The result is very good because we confirmed our result twice with 600,000 constituents voting for us. This is how the leader of Attack Party Volen Siderov commented the election results before journalists, FOCUS News Agency reporter informs.
According to Mr. Siderov not one other party can show such a result.
“We defeated 12 parties, including the Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (CEDB) which supported the rightist candidate Nedelcho Beronov,” Volen Siderov said. According to him these elections showed that Attack Party has an extremely firm nucleus of supporters.
“This is a great achievement because we fought a tough battle, we were fighting against the whole state machine,” the Attack leader said. According to him the election results are a great achievement because the party is a young and new organization that had been working in an atmosphere of extreme pressure.
Volen Siderov added that this was only a stage in the party’s development and that it would continue working for pre-term parliamentary elections ‘because the tripartite coalition continues damaging Bulgaria’. According to him his party wants to expose, point to and sanction ‘this ruling majority of the mafia’.
Georgi Parvanov: This is a Historical Victory
FOCUS News Agency
Sofia. “This is a historical victory”, Georgi Parvanov stated addressing the hundreds of citizens that hailed him at in front of the National Palace of Culture (NPC) despite the rain, a reporter of FOCUS News Agency informed.
“I am glad to see you again here, at this square, after five years, again with a victory. This was an incredible campaign, especially due to the fact that it had the spirit of youth. You will hear different opinions and evaluations – but the truth is only one – this is a historical victory”, Parvanov stated.
He added that there is no other precedent like this in the modern history of Bulgaria. It became possible due to the extraordinary initiative committee and the whole civil network that was created throughout the country.
“This victory is a fact, though there were appeals inviting at a boycott. Many things, which should not have been said after 17 years after the beginning of the transition, were said. However, the Bulgarian people showed they are mature and wise, much wiser than some of their political leaders.
This campaign had an air that you brought. From now on, our common road continues”, Parvanov said further.
“I want to convince you that this road will be hard, but it will be as successful as it has been so far”.
Parvanov also expressed the cordial appreciation on his own behalf and that of the Vice President, the initiative committee, and the campaign office.
These Elections Were a Choice of Values: Foreign Minister
FOCUS News Agency
Sofia. The elections were a choice of values and not a choice between people or parties. I am glad that it was those exact values that won at the presidential elections. This is what Bulgaria’s Foreign Minister Ivaylo Kalfin said while entering the International Press Center at the National Palace of Culture in Sofia, FOCUS News Agency reporter informs.
“What I would like to see from now on is better competition and not the dilemma whether to choose European values or not,” Minister Kalfin added. “Today 80 percent of the Bulgarian voters showed clearly that Bulgaria backs up Europe’s democratic position and will continue its path,” he also said.
According to the Foreign Minister the 20 percent of the people who voted for nationalist Volen Siderov should be a lesson for all politicians.
Election Outcome Shows That People Do Justice to Results from First Term in Office: Georgi Parvanov
FOCUS News Agency
Sofia. This was an expected result but this should not sound immodestly. This is a result that shows the people appreciate what we have achieved during the first term in office. This is what Bulgaria’s President Georgi Parvanov said while entering the International Press Center at the National Palace of Culture in Sofia, FOCUS News Agency reporter informs. He added that the only thing he was vexed by was the tone of the campaign.
On the question what he thinks of the introduction of obligatory voting Georgi Parvanov replied that the politicians should be the ones to motivate the constituents to vote and not the additional measures.
GALLUP: 40,8% Voter Turnout
FOCUS News Agency
Sofia. According to the initial data of GALLUP agency the voter turnout at the presidential runoffs was 40,80%, the agency told bTV.
This Is a Great Result: Attack Party MP
FOCUS News Agency
Sofia. I do not see this result as a failure. This is a great result, Attack Party MP Dimitar Stoyanov stated in bTV’s election studio at the National Palace of Culture in Sofia. I have never seen another party increase its electorate so much in just one year, the MP underscored.
There were many factors at these elections like the mobilization of all the structures of our opponents, Dimitar Stoyanov said. They resorted to means that were not exactly legal but we will carry out an investigation. We will fight with all legal means, we have never given up a fight, he added.
Attack members have been arrested without any reasons around the country, the Attack member announced.
On a reporter’s question about the reason for the suspension of the broadcasting of SKAT TV station Dimitar Stoyanov replied that he was not SKAT’s executive director to answer this question but he underscored that the issue will be checked out.
NCIOM: Georgi Parvanov – from 78% to 80%; Volen Siderov – from 20% to 22%
FOCUS News Agency
Sofia. According to the data provided by the National Center for Public Opinion Researches (NCIUOM) Georgi Parvanov was supported by 78% - 80% of the Bulgarian voters at today’s run-off elections in Bulgaria. His opponent Volen Siderov gets between 20% and 22% of the votes.
GALLUP: 78.70% for Georgi Parvanov; 21.30% for Volen Siderov
FOCUS News Agency
Sofia. According to the preliminary data provided by the sociological and media research agency GALLUP by 07.00 pm Georgi Parvanov is the new president of Bulgaria holding 78.70% of the votes at today’s run-off vote in Bulgaria. Ataack party’s leader Volen Siderov ranks second with 21.30% of the votes.
The data were reported by bTV.
Alpha Research: Georgi Parvanov – 77.1%; Volen Siderov – 21.9%
FOCUS News Agency
Sofia. 77.1% of the Bulgarian citizens on the territory of the country have given their support for Georgi Parvanov, the data provided by the sociological agency Alpha Research show, sociologist Boryana Dimitrova told BNT.
The same data provide for 21.9% for Volen Siderov.
Georgi Parvanov Wins Second Term in Office
FOCUS News Agency
Sofia. Even though the end of the election day in Bulgaria has not been announced officially the conclusions of all sociological agencies are explicit: Bulgaria’s current President Georgi Parvanov has won a second term in office. President Parvanov’s victory at the runoffs against his opponent – Attack Party leader Volen Siderov is crushing: between 78 and 80% voted for Georgi Parvanov against around 21% for Volen Siderov.Georgi Parvanov had 64,04% at the first round of the elections while Volen Siderov had 21,48%. The voter turnout at the runoffs remained low – it is almost the same as the one at the first round when it was 42,51%. The initial analyses show that the Bulgarians who voted abroad were more active at the runoffs than they were in the first election round.
Bulgaria's president expected to win second term in office
09:00 Mon 30 Oct 2006
If the polls are correct, incumbent President Georgi Purvanov will win a second term in office after the run-off elections on October 29, defeating ultra-nationalist Volen Siderov by a wide margin.
The first round on October 22 exposed a number of trends. First, the low turnout has been seen as a sign of disillusionment with Bulgaria’s established political elites – a gap that seemed to leave most of the electorate yawning, or, as was said by several commentators on the day, preferring to go fishing or pick mushrooms rather than participate in choosing the country’s head of state.
Another phenomenon is that this may be the widest political gap in Bulgaria’s post-communist history, between a mainstream incumbent who is avowedly pro-European and who has stood on a platform of unity, tolerance and moderation, and a contender who has a vastly different vision of Bulgaria. A yawning gap in ideologies.
As momentum gathered for the second round, some political forces that had been on the sidelines of the first round declared themselves. GERB (Citizens for the European Development of Bulgaria, built around Sofia mayor Boiko Borissov) announced its endorsement of Purvanov, having backed failed centre-right candidate Nedelcho Beronov in the first round. Borissov called on supporters to back Purvanov, who he described as being the candidate Europe wants.
The Bulgarian Socialist Party’s coalition partners, the National Movement Simeon II and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, made known their support for Purvanov.
The picture on the right of the political spectrum was more troubled. Those on the centre-right plainly felt less than comfortable with the prospect of the choice being between Purvanov, immediate past leader of the BSP, and ultra-nationalist Siderov, widely perceived – although Siderov denies the labels – as the poster boy for ethnic intolerance and anti-Europe sentiments.
Ivan Kostov, leader of the Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria, seen by many as having pushed forward Beronov into being the joint candidate of his party and the Union of Democratic Forces, refused to accept responsibility for failure and to resign. At the media conference after the elections Kostov refused to resign, saying that this would not change anything for the right-wing parties. Kostov said that he would “vote” on the second round but he would pick his best black marker and put a cross in the boxes of both Purvanov and Siderov - meaning a spoilt vote.
UDF leader Petar Stoyanov said that he always had his resignation “in his pocket” but by October 25, he had not produced it. Stoyanov said he would use the week until October 29 to think, when asked who he will support on second round. Beronov said he would not vote at all and would not urge anyone to do so.
The only “victim” – if the long term proves him to be such – was Stefan Sofianski, leader of the minority right-wing party the Union of Free Democrats, and a former interim prime minister and former mayor of Sofia. On October 24, Sofianski announced that he was stepping down from leadership of the party that had been formed around him when he quit the UDF.
Whatever the centre-right parties officially decided to ask their supporters to do, however, could prove immaterial as exit polls showed that many traditional right-wing supporters had defected either to Purvanov or Siderov in the first round.
30 octobre 2006
WHO IS WHO: Georgi Parvanov-Anguel Marin
GEORGI PARVANOV
Georgi Parvanov was born on 28 June 1957 in Sirishnik, Pernik District. He graduated as M.A. in History from the Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski in 1981. He got his PhD in History in 1988.
From 1981 to 1991 he was a senior research associate at the Institute of History of the Bulgarian Communist Party. In 1991 he headed the Historical and Political Research Centre under the Bulgarian Socialist Party Supreme Council.
In December 1996 Parvanov became Chairperson of the Bulgarian Socialist Party Supreme Council. For the period 1994-2001 Parvanov was a Member of Parliament.
From 1994-1997 he was Chairperson of the Parliamentary Group for Friendship with Greece and member of the Parliamentary Committee on Radio and Television. For the period 1997-2001 he served as Chairperson of the Parliamentary Group of the Democratic Left and the Parliamentary Group of Coalition for Bulgaria.
In November 2001 he was elected for president. He took office on 22 January 2002.
He is married with two sons.
GEN. ANGEL MARIN
Gen. Angel Marin was born on 8th January 1942 in Batak. He graduated from the Higher Military Artillery School in Shoumen in 1965 and the Military Artillery Academy in St. Petersburg (Leningrad) in Russia in 1978. He has a civilian degree in Radio Electronics Engineering. From 1978 to 1998 he serves as a commander of different units of the Bulgarian Armed Forces.
In 1991 he was promoted to Major General.
In 1998 he was dismissed from the Army due to disagreement with the manner of army reform and he retired.
He has been Bulgaria's Vice-President since 22 January 2002.
Gen. Marin is married with two children and two grandchildren.
PRE-ELECTION VOWS
Georgi Parvanov plays mainly the social card, claiming to be president to all Bulgarians, regardless of their religion, ethnos or age. According to Parvanov the president embodies the nation and "the Constitution is to be read, not quoted". Politics should be viewed as a way of resolving the problems in society, he as
The president promises to be a guarantee for political stability and favourable changes in Bulgaria.
Parvanov and Marin pledge the prolonged trial of the Bulgarian nurses in Libya will see its favourable resolution.
As far as the controversy over Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant is concerned, Parvanov says the only alternative for Bulgaria now is to build the Belene NPP as quickly as possible. He vows to will assist the process.
http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=71885
ATAKA TO BECOME LEADING PLAYER IN BULGARIA'S POLITICS- SIDEROV
The results of the presidential election showed that ultra-nationalist movement Ataka had become a leading political formation, movement leader and presidential candidate Volen Siderov told a news conference after the October 29 presidential elections.
Ataka had conducted its election campaign in a malicious environment, Siderov said. The ruling majority had made every effort to hinder Ataka’s attempts to change the status quo, Siderov said.
President Georgi Purvanov won the presidential elections, exit polls showed. He get nearly 78 per cent of the vote, leaving Siderov second.
The entire state apparatus had worked for Purvanov’s victory, said Siderov. Bearing this mind, Ataka’s performance added up to a victory, he said.
“We managed not only to resist but emerged stronger, and increased our political influence,” said Siderov. “The re-emergence of Bulgarian nationalism is a fact,” he said.
Ataka had got more support than 12 right-wing and centrist parties, said Siderov. This proved that only Ataka was the opposition to the ruling tripartite coalition.
The movement was going to seek power at regional level by taking part in the upcoming municipal elections, said Siderov.
Vice-presidential candidate Pavel Shopov said that Ataka had emerged as the actual leader in the elections. Siderov and Ataka had changed the political situation in Bulgaria, Shopov said.
He alleged that the vote had been “manipulated” and said that Ataka would challenge the election results, something that candidates beforehand had failed to do.
Vote Secrecy Breach Noted during Bulgaria's Run-Off
Bulgaria's Central Election Commission (CEC) has already received a written claim stating that there is a breach of vote secrecy throughout the country.
When people voting in the run-off cast their ballot in the transparent plastic boxes, it unfolds and everyone can see which candidate has been marked, the claim states.
People, however, don't seem to mind that, so there is no unrest in the Election Day.
The same claim was lodged during the first round of the presidential elections and (CEC) advised everyone to make sure they fold their ballot well, and even use a pen to press the corners if they need to.
http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=71851
Volen Siderov: Vote of Protest Came from Those Who Didn’t Vote
| 30 October 2006 | 00:05 | FOCUS News Agency |
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Sofia. Vote of protest came from those who did not vote. The vote that Attack Party got was a vote for the party. This is what the leader of the nationalist movement and presidential candidate Volen Siderov said at a press conference in the National Palace of Culture, FOCUS News Agency reporter informs. |
Ethno-Religious Tolerance Has No Alternative in Bulgaria: President
| 29 October 2006 | 22:46 | FOCUS News Agency |
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Sofia. The ethno-religious tolerance has no alternative in Bulgaria. This is what Bulgaria’s President Georgi Parvanov said at a press conference after winning a second term in office, FOCUS News Agency reporter informs. |