site.btaFormer CC Co-Chair Kiril Petkov Has Boundless Trust that Assen Vassilev Would Lead Party in Right Direction

Former prime minister Kiril Petkov, who resigned as Continue the Change (CC) co-chair in June, said he had “boundless trust” that Assen Vassilev would lead the party in the right direction, speaking at the opening of the CC General Assembly, where the party is electing a chair and governing bodies.

Petkov nominated detained Varna Mayor Blagomir Kotsev for membership in CC’s Executive Council, arguing that Kotsev had valuable experience in local government. “Because he stood by all of us and said that they would not break us,” Petkov stressed. “The number one priority today, tomorrow, and the day after, is for Blago, Niki, Yordan, and Nikola to be free,” he added.

Blagomir Kotsev, who won the mayor's office in Varna on the ticket of Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria was arrested late on the night of July 8 following a tipoff for corruption by a failed public procurement tenderer. Along with municipal councillors Yordan Kateliev and Nikolay Stefanov, Kotsev has been charged with participation in an organized criminal group. Kotsev's arrest triggered large-scale protests in Varna, Sofia and other major cities. The arrest also caused an outrage and accusations of political repressions. The Renew Europe group in the European Parliament, of which Continue Change is a part, condemned the growing attack on democratic institutions and the rule of law in Bulgaria, of which they believe the Varna Mayor's arrest is an illustration.

Speaking at the General Assembly, Petkov said that no one is bigger than the cause, and the cause is Bulgaria. “We must fulfil this cause with actions, not just words,” Petkov declared. He emphasized that CC’s politics were not about taking, but about giving, and reiterated that zero tolerance for corruption remained a cornerstone of the party.

“So far, we have learned that we can fight on the front line, but that is not enough, we also need to build a rear guard,” Petkov said, adding that he would contribute to building that rear guard. He noted that the struggle is endless, and that they must be prepared for a marathon, not a sprint.

At the end of June, former CC co-chair Kiril Petkov resigned after allegations of exerting pressure on the Sofia borough mayors of Lyulin and Mladost regarding public procurement. Earlier, Petkov had also stepped down as an MP. Following a seven-hour session of CC’s National Council, it was agreed that Assen Vassilev would continue as sole chair until until the Party’s Reporting and Electoral General Assembly scheduled for September 27-28.

The leadership change comes after the mayors of Mladost and Lyulin and two municipal councillors withdrew, citing alleged party pressure. Anti-Corruption Commission staff conducted searches at Sofia Municipality, and the Sofia City Prosecution Office charged four individuals with accepting bribes and participation in an organized crime group. Later, Sofia Deputy Mayor Nikola Barbutov was escorted from the municipal building by police and remains in custody.”