site.btaFormer MRF Leader Ahmed Dogan Announces Pending Formation of New Political Movement

In a dramatic declaration circulated Tuesday, Ahmed Dogan, the former honorary chair of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF), accused the current party leadership of abandoning its founding mission and declared the start of a three-month transitional process to establish a new political formation.

In his declaration, Dogan claims the MRF has been “hijacked from within” by figures who "lack both political legitimacy and moral alignment with the party's historic role as a defender of minority rights and democratic values". At the centre of his criticism is MRF - New Beginning leader Delyan Peevski, whom Dogan accuses of capturing the party leadership through “threats, coercion, dependencies, institutional capture, and abuse of power”.

In July 2024, the once solid Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) split into two factions: Democracy, Rights and Freedoms (DRF), loyal to MRF founder and honorary chairperson Ahmed Dogan, and MRF – New Beginning, headed by Dogan’s one-time protege Delyan Peevski. Both factions claim they are the genuine party. Peevski and his supporters were expelled from the MRF on August 27, 2024. Peevski dismissed the decision as "contrary to the Statute". In turn, Peevski's faction expelled Dogan and his faithful from the party on November 16, 2024.

“Under his leadership, MRF has drifted from its roots and become a tool for personal and oligarchic interests. The state's repressive machinery is now used against anyone who dares to dissent.”

To respond to what he calls a “critical moment” in the party’s history, Dogan announced the formation of a transitional leadership structure to oversee the creation of a new political entity that he says will embody the original ideals of MRF - democracy, human rights, ethnic peace, and resistance to external interference.

What he calls "Chair Council to Ahmed Dogan" includes Ilhan Kyuchyuk, Sevim Ali, Hayri Sadakov, Dimitar Nikolov, Taner Ali, Hasan Azis and Tanzer Yuseinov.

A Central Operational Bureau (COB) to Ahmed Dogan includes Taner Ali as chair, and six deputy chairs (Ilhan Kyuchyuk, Sevim Ali, Hayri Sadakov, Dimitar Nikolov, Tanzer Yuseinov, Hasan Azis). Members are Dzheykhan Ibramov, Pavlin Krastev, Hyusnyu Adem, Krasimir Krasimirov, Ahmed Vranchev, Remzi Osman, Ramadan Atalay, Hasan Ademov, Levent Memish, Mehmed Salim, Sevinch Solakova.

This team, Dogan says, will organize a series of central councils to chart a democratic and transparent path toward launching the new political project.

Dogan also called on MRF members loyal to the party’s original mission to reject fear, opportunism, and political coercion: “True ideals are not to be traded for positions, fear, or economic dependence.”

He urged members of the European Parliament, foreign embassies, and international institutions to monitor the situation in Bulgaria and to support those defending democratic norms. “When the foundations of the rule of law, freedom of speech, and social justice are under threat, the international community has a moral and legal obligation to act.”

In a direct address to current MPs from what he calls the "authentic MRF," Dogan urged them to stand firm in defending citizens' rights, resist authoritarian tendencies, and restore public trust in parliamentary democracy.