site.btaContinue the Change Pledges Measures after Defections Shake Sofia Municipal Group

Kiril Petkov, co-chair of Continue the Change (CC), pledged structural measures within the party to prevent further internal disruptions following the recent resignation of two district mayors and two municipal councillors in Sofia.

The four cited internal pressure within the party over public procurements as their reason for departure.

Petkov made the statement after a coalition council meeting with Democratic Bulgaria (DB), where DB leaders called for a clear reform plan addressing CC's personnel policy.

A national party council meeting of CC is scheduled for July 12 to discuss the issue in depth.

Petkov stressed that no formal complaints about public procurement irregularities in the Mladost and Lyulin districts had been filed with the party’s executive or oversight bodies. “We first heard of the allegations from the media,” he noted, questioning why no internal communication had taken place if concerns were legitimate. He denied that any company linked to a WCC MP had applied for or won contracts in those districts.

Petkov suggested that the recent departures were part of a “coordinated operation” to destabilize the party and emphasized the need for an institutional response.

Co-chair Asen Vasilev acknowledged the challenges of staffing in newer political movements, admitting that CC had made mistakes but emphasizing that no evidence of corruption had been presented. “We don’t believe corruption exists within the party - and if it’s to be proven, it must be investigated,” he said. Vasilev also downplayed the risk of further resignations or a split within CC’s municipal group.