site.btaBulgaria Should Maintain Close Relations with US President Trump, But Not under Current Cabinet - Vazrazhdane Leader

Commenting on Bulgaria’s joining of the US-led Board of Peace, Vazrazhdane leader Kostadin Kostadinov Friday told reporters that Bulgaria should maintain close relations with US President Donald Trump's administration, "but not under the current Cabinet, which does not enjoy the trust of the Bulgarian people."

Kostadinov noted that the current Cabinet has neither the moral nor the legal right to take such steps. "This is a task that should be carried out by the next government," he added. 

The Vazrazhdane leader described the National Assembly as a failure. He said that if proposals, "introduced arrogantly, brazenly, and at the last minute, during midnight sittings," had been put through a vote, this would have led to excesses. His remarks came after the legislature failed to consider amendments to the Election Code following two consecutive days without a quorum.

This National Assembly must cease its work as soon as possible, and elections must be held at the earliest possible time, Kostadinov said. "We demand that the electoral process takes place with the utmost transparency. That is why we will organize a network of citizen observers to ensure broader public participation in the electoral process," he noted. 

Asked to comment on the need for voter lists to be cleared of so-called "dead souls," Kostadinov said that emigrants are often included in this category. He added that the real issue lies in solving the issue concerning permanent and current residence.

When asked about his expectations regarding the possible impact of outgoing President Rumen Radev’s presence on the political scene, Kostadinov said: "We are waiting for him. We want to talk during the campaign." He added that Bulgarian citizens deserve to hear the positions of different political forces on various issues through open debate.