site.btaUPDATED CC Chair Vassilev Says Radev’s Move Forces Choice between Europe and Orban Model

Continue the Change (CC) Chair Assen Vassilev told a press conference here on Tuesday that Rumen Radev's entry into the political arena allows the Bulgarian people to choose whether they want to live in a country that is a part of a strong Europe or in a country that follows the "Orban model". In his words, the first choice would have Bulgaria boast a strong army and not rely on vetoes, while the second one would have Bulgaria trying to have it both ways, "looking both to the East and to the West".

On Monday, President Radev addressed the nation to report that he will be submitting his resignation as head of State on Tuesday. The following day, he tendered his resignation to the Constitutional Court and is awaiting the court's ruling.

Vassilev said: "The best thing that happened during the protests at the end of last year was that Bulgarian citizens realized that the future of their country is in their hands and that they don't need to wait for a saviour. If they want something to happen, they have to do it themselves."

Commenting on whether CC could cooperate with Radev, Vassilev said that Radev will first have to answer whether he wants the country to be strong, to operate as within a strong Europe, or whether he wants the country to follow the "Orban model", referring to the government model implemented by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, and to act as a Trojan horse within the EU.

Vassilev's second question concerns Bulgaria's eurozone membership. He said: "We heard that Rumen Radev is happy that we have joined the eurozone, but at the same time, he said that there should have been a referendum [asking Bulgarians if they agree to have Bulgaria adopt the euro in 2026], and the Constitutional Court said that such a referendum is impossible. There was a year of public discussion on the plan to introduce the euro – from June 30, 2021, to the end of May 2022, so why didn't we hear about a referendum then?".

The CC Chair stated that while Radev said that he fully supports the implementation of machine-voting during elections, he would not allow to have the head and deputy head of the State Agency for National Security replaced during the Denkov cabinet, even though the two of them sabotaged machine-voting in the first round of mayoral elections held at the time.

Vassilev said: "Another question for Radev is what the healthcare and education systems should look like, whether he will join those calling for tax increases and budget redistribution, or whether he will adopt CC's position of maintaining the current tax system. Should Bulgaria be fair first and then show solidarity, or vice versa? These are the questions that Radev must answer for all Bulgarian citizens, so that they can make their choice about what kind of country they want to live in. We have clearly stated that Bulgaria must be at the heart of the EU, that it must be strong, and the only way to achieve this is if the EU is strong, because a rich EU that cannot defend itself will be torn apart piece by piece, both from the East and from the West."

The leader of CC said that now that the electorate has a clear alternative, there can be no excuse not to vote. He described the upcoming vote will be fateful for Bulgaria, as it will determine whether Bulgaria will take a path towards Europe, towards vacillation and submission, or towards corruption and persistent poverty.

He stated that the dismantling of the GERB and MRF model means that these two parties together will have fewer than 80 MPs, so they will not be able to block the appointment of the Supreme Judicial Council and its Inspectorate.

According to Vassilev, the Constitution should not be reverted to its version before the latest amendments, since used to give too much power to the President, who was able to appoint caretaker prime ministers "without regard to the National Assembly or the real will of the Bulgarian people". Under the current Constitution, the pool of potential caretaker prime ministers from which the President may choose is limited to the Chairperson of the National Assembly, the Governor or Deputy Governor of the Bulgarian National Bank, the President or a Vice-President of the National Audit Office, and the National Ombudsman or a Deputy Ombudsman.

Vassilev added: "Who should be the caretaker prime minister is solely up to [Vice President] Ms [Iliana] Iotova to decide, once the President's resignation is accepted." He concluded that political parties should not interfere in this process.