site.btaBulgarian Socialist Party on Path to Restore Its Relevance - BSP Leader Zarkov

Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) leader Krum Zarkov said that they had given "a clear signal that the prophecies about the Bulgarian Socialist Party will not come true." "On the contrary, it is embarking on a path to restore its relevance," he noted, adding that the composition of the new BSP Executive Bureau reflects "the concept of renewal through respect." 

The BSP will once again run in the elections as part of the BSP – United Left coalition, Zarkov said. The BSP will never again be in a subordinate position and will work on the principles of equality and mutual respect in pursuit of shared causes, he added.

Zarkov described Sergei Stanishev's presence in the Executive Bureau as "normal." "There was no influence from [Movement for Rights and Freedoms - New Beginning leader] Delyan Peevski over Stanishev, nor is there any influence from Peevski over any member of the Executive Bureau I am proposing," Zarkov said. Even if such influence existed, it would never break through, the BSP leader added.

Asked about BSP supporters who are looking toward a political project by former president Rumen Radev, Zarkov said: "I think we have begun to retain them. We will continue to do so, because they will realize that the BSP is their political family and has a future." In Zarkov's words, those who speak about an outflow from the BSP’s ranks hardly know the socialists.

The BSP leader also said that, in his view, caretaker Justice Minister Andrey Yankulov is right to exercise his powers to raise the issue concerning acting Prosecutor General Borislav Sarafov before the Supreme Judicial Council.

The BSP will return to European politics, Zarkov further said.

Commenting on the presence of military aircraft at Vasil Levski Sofia Airport, he said: "Concerns persist, and we will insist on receiving information on this matter." In his view, the situation has shown that there is a sense of a "multinational consensus within the European Union" in favour of greater armament and militarization.

This is not the case, he said, adding that left-wing parties in Europe do not uncritically accept such a course. The socialists clearly state that more spending on armaments does not automatically imply more security, he added. In his words, the European Union needs a clear, comprehensive, and strategically grounded vision of security that includes political, economic, energy, and social dimensions.

As a member of the European Union and NATO, Bulgaria must pursue a reasonable and pragmatic defence policy aligned with the national interest, Zarkov added. He stressed that funds allocated for armaments must be weighed and balanced against the needs of healthcare, education, social security, cohesion, culture, and climate resilience. Security without social cohesion is an illusion that has repeatedly led to tragedy, the BSP leader said. Peace is a fundamental goal of politics, he added.