site.btaGERB Will "Leave Mr. Radev to Fight Reality"

GERB will not fight against Rumen Radev or his political entity, GERB-UDF Deputy Floor Leader Denitsa Sacheva told journalists on Tuesday. “GERB will leave Mr. Radev to fight reality,” she added. She was responding to a BTA question about Radev’s resignation and how his participation in elections might affect GERB’s results.

In an address to the nation on Monday, Radev announced that he was resigning the presidency. He tendered his resignation to the Constitutional Court on Tuesday, and the Court instituted a case. 

Sacheva commented that Radev’s address contained no concrete information regarding his intentions or the potential platform he might run on in upcoming elections.

GERB will conduct a constructive campaign centered on key pillars, including a strong economy, Sacheva said. “We rely on all our members and supporters, and, of course, on people across the country who want real politics carried out by real politicians,” she added.

“The era of moral monologues and ceremonial speeches is over. We are looking forward to seeing something more concrete in terms of program, team, and all aspects of real politics and governance, where it becomes clear who can and cannot work for Bulgaria,” the GERB-UDF Deputy Floor Leader noted.

Sacheva stressed that GERB intends to focus on priorities such as leveraging Bulgaria’s membership in the eurozone, which she described as key to genuine sovereignty. “Our main topics will be economy, investment, and innovation,” she said.

Asked under what conditions GERB would consider Radev or his potential political project as a partner, Sacheva said that they first need to see what the political project will look like and what its platform entails. “GERB has formed various coalitions with different political entities in the past,” she added.

Regarding Radev’s remarks on a “new social contract,” Sacheva commented Radev should be asked what he means by that. She stressed that it is important to know Radev’s plans concerning the governance of Bulgaria, including whether parliamentary democracy will be preserved, whether a presidential republic is being considered, what is meant by the notion of a “new social contract”, and what is actually being proposed to Bulgarian citizens.

“In aviation, the pilot is usually the most important; in politics, the team also matters. So let’s see what the team will look like, because it will be the clearest indicator of what the policy will be,” Sacheva said. She added that over the past nine years, there have been different configurations of Radev’s teams and various political entities that he has tried to introduce into Bulgarian politics. “Now that he personally will be on the field, we are watching with interest what will come after this speech [of his],” Sacheva concluded.