DISTINGUISHED MADAM SPEAKER,
DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT!
Today, on the first day of the new session of the National Assembly, instead of planning the parliamentary activity for the current session, we have to come up with urgent anti-crisis measures to save the state.
Today we are witnessing the collapse of statehood. We must join hands and make efforts to save the statehood and the future of Bulgaria.
The Movement for Rights and Freedoms remains responsible before its voters, before all Bulgarian citizens, and Bulgaria. Our mission is safeguarding the individual’s rights and freedoms, the territorial integrity of the state and its sovereignty, the irreversibility of Democracy, the free market economy, in combination with competition. The Movement for Rights and Freedoms stands for urgent decisions in the name of peace and stability.
What is the current political context?
The war among the institutions has resulted in the political crisis we are witnessing nowadays, in the critical point of chaos. The current crisis does not compare, in terms of its depth, to any other since the outset of democracy.
As soon as the elections were over, we strongly advised GERB to set up a one-party government with a clear-cut governance programme based on broad support by the National Assembly. While not being part of the governance, we need to support the governance programme.
GERB’s choice was this populist nationalistic cabinet. A coalition agreement was concluded which they claim to be a governance programme.
On the other hand, four years ago we elected Rumen Radev to be our President as a counterpoint of GERB’s governance. Instead of stepping into the role of the President, the unifier the nation, Mr. Radev chose the model of opposition, the revanchist model of GERB. As of today, Mr. Radev has opted for political opposition and the political barricade.
Rumen Radev has been attacking Boiko Borissov and the government, as well as the National Assembly, and has been attempting to oppose judges to prosecutors. This is the way to undermine the executive, the legislative and the judiciary, as well as the institution of presidency. The Constitution stipulates that the President shall be the unifier of the nation, but, instead, Mr. Radev’s actions have contributed to eroding all authorities and institutions, statehood, and the state as a whole.
What we have ended up with are protests. People of all ages with a variety of professional backgrounds, views, demands, first and foremost – free and proactive citizens – are taking part in these protests. What we are witnessing is the catharsis and awakening of the Bulgarian society.
The task is far from being easy: on the one side of the barricade – demands for resignation and a caretaker government without a clear vision and a programme for the actions to follow; on the other side – demands for the impeachment of the President, and assurance that the mandate will be completed without the need for a caretaker government.
Over the last 4 years, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms has kept reiterating what we are seeing today; for the last four years, MRF has been calling upon the main political forces to sit at the table, and determine, based on their own priorities, the priorities for the state. This, however, has not happened.
Since 2016 the Movement for Rights and Freedoms has been highlighting its priorities for the state, which are, as follows:
- Clean air, clean water, clean food, clean energy;
- High technologies;
- Inclusion of the free and proactive citizens in policy decisions and the control over their implementation;
In 2020 the European Parliament and the European Commission have adopted the Green Deal, and have identified the same priorities for the European Union as the ones above.
Against the background of the political situation, we have to, firstly, identify the needs of the state – not the long-term, but the short-term ones, within the timeframe of a few months. Given the current crisis – a health, social and economic one, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms believes that the state needs:
Firstly, a clear and precise budget, with a prospect for the way out of this situation of a health, social and economic crisis;
Secondly, now that the decisions regarding the recovery package for COVID-19 have already been taken by the European Union, Bulgaria has to adopt, as soon as possible, a programme for the efficient absorption of the grants for COVID-19;
Thirdly and most importantly, a clear programme for the efficient absorption of the funds allocated to Bulgaria under the Multiannual Financial Framework for the upcoming operational period based on the Green Deal and digital transformation.
According to the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, the solution for today’s situation is that neither side of the revanchist barricade should feel either as a winner or as a victim, because the only consequence will be counter-revanchism.
We, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, propose the following:
Firstly, the resignation of the government – as soon as possible.
Secondly, the resignation of Rumen Radev as President, together with the government. In case Mr. Radev wishes to act as a politician, he has time to register a political party and take actions accordingly in the context of the upcoming parliamentary elections.
Thirdly, in order to avoid revanchism and counter-revanchism, MRF proposes an anti-crisis expert cabinet that will implement the anti-crisis measures defined as urgent for Bulgaria in the short term, and will organize fair and free elections.
Fourthly, the cabinet ministers will be experts from the relevant sectors who are well familiar with the EU priorities for the upcoming period – which will ensure that the state gets prepared for the efficient absorption of the funds in relation to both COVID-19 and the next operational period, the precondition for this being the national budget for both areas.
Last but not least, in order to avoid any doubts as to the fairness of the elections, we propose that the anti-crisis expert cabinet should have a prime minister designated by the largest political party, and a deputy prime minister designated by the second largest political party, which will be consistent with the fair and democratic elections.
DISTINGUISHED MADAM SPEAKER,
DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT!
The political forces must, as soon as possible, take a decision about recovery from the crisis. Bulgaria should not miss its historic opportunity on the European path – the Green Deal and COVID-19 require drafting clear programmes at the national level, moreover – within the next several months. This preparation should be entrusted to an anti-crisis expert cabinet, with clear tasks and delivery deadlines, clear responsibilities and accountability before the National Assembly.
We, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, call upon all political forces to be committed to choosing the model for Bulgaria’s future.
