2024-09-02 03:03:43
The former leader refused to sign a power of attorney for her temporary successor Zafirov, and Georgi Svilenski, who was expelled along with her, announced that they are starting to collect signatures for the vote
Cornelia Ninova is no longer a member of the BSP. After 8 years at the head of the party, she was expelled by a decision of the National Council on Sunday. But she made it clear that the battle is not over for her and will continue beyond the registration of the BSP to participate in the elections, as she refused to sign a power of attorney for Atanas Zafirov. In response, the interim leadership of “Positano” announced that it would refer the prosecutor’s office if it or its people tried to register the party for the elections.
Thus, it may turn out that the BSP will go to the elections with two signatures for registration.
The exclusion of Nineveh takes place from the third time,
after there were requests for this at two previous plenary sessions, but they were stopped by the party’s interim leadership. Finally, the National Council mandated the Executive Bureau to propose measures to punish the former leader and her people, and this happened on Sunday.
In the morning before the meeting, supporters of Ninova gathered in front of “Positano” 20. They protested against the new management and in defense of the ex-leader. Clashes ensued and the headquarters was raided by the police.
The decision of the plenum to exclude Ninova was supported by 105 votes “for”, 16 “against” and 4 “abstentions”. Together with her, Georgi Svilenski, Ivan Chenchev and Krum Donchev were expelled from the party. The vote was taken separately for each of the four, but the votes were almost the same, and there was also a re-vote. However, those who were excluded declared the decision illegal, because according to them there was no quorum and the enumerators manipulated the result. Management denied this.
There are seven reasons with which the Executive Bureau proposed Ninova and her three associates for the heaviest party punishment. Among them is non-implementation of the decision of the narrow leadership from which district she should enter the parliament, as well as Georgi Svilenski. Ninova entered from Blagoevgrad, ceding an MP seat to the former leader of the youth SDS and head of her office as Minister of Economy in the “Petkov” government Kaloyan Metodiev.
Among the other accusations against Ninova and her close MPs are that
damage the prestige of the party with “public false statements about a coup”,
that they are sabotaging the BSP registration for the elections, etc.
Earlier in the day, Ninova refused to comply with a decision of the National Council to issue a power of attorney to the party’s temporary chairman, Atanas Zafirov, so that he could represent it and sign the party’s documents for participation in the elections and the lists of deputies.
The plenum demanded that she withdraw the powers of attorney she gave to Georgi Svilenski and Ivan Chenchev for this. A week ago, the resigned leader withdrew her signature from the power of attorney of the party’s legal adviser, Aglika Videnova, and gave them to her close MPs. So now Svilenski and Chenchev are the ones who can submit the documents to the BSP for participation in the elections.
Ninova’s refusal to comply with the National Council’s decision on the power of attorney was met with a stormy response, with shouts and whistles, said those present at the meeting. And since she was reminded that she had always said that she wanted the statute to be respected, she explained: “I do not contest the statute and the decision of the National Council that Atanas Zafirov be acting, so the statute is respected. But the statute does not say to whom the power of attorney should be given.” And she added that she does not trust the new leadership. But she declared that she was ready to sign the subsidy so that there would be no tremors for the party. It is precisely because of the disputes over who represents the BSP that the party did not receive the last tranche of the state subsidy and there is no money even for salaries at the headquarters.
After being excluded, Ninova went outside the headquarters to her supporters, who welcomed her with loud ovations and hugs. She described what was happening as absurd and a legal precedent. Reminded that she had resigned, and announced that she could be impeached by Congress. She proposed to have one on September 29, but only 25 of the plenary members supported her. “They refused to call a congress and let me go, and at the same time
they will keep me here as a hostage to legitimize their iniquities
So how can this be done”, commented Ninova.
In front of the media, she denied an option to block the BSP’s registration for the CEC elections. “There will certainly be a registration of the BSP, but if there will be any other list, ask those who will do it,” Georgi Svilenski explained. The collection of signatures started on Monday. And when asked who will go to submit the documents, they answered: “Whoever has the current status, which says who represents the party.” According to the register of political parties in the Sofia City Court, until this Sunday it was Ninova.
If she or those authorized by her, Svilenski and Chenchev, try to register the BSP in the CEC, the internal party struggles may reach the prosecutor’s office, the temporary leadership of the party gave a signal. “The declarations we hear from her that despite everything the lists and the party will be registered are a serious provocation towards the entire party and the decisions of our collective bodies. Through the media, I appeal to all Bulgarian socialists – to be aware, it’s all right
participation in signatures and lists of people excluded from the party will be considered a provocation
to the party and will be illegitimate. If such a move is taken, especially after the decision to exclude from the party, we will refer the competent authorities and the Bulgarian prosecutor’s office”, said the temporary chairman Zafirov.
They sign with another 20 for the left unification
On Tuesday, the BSP will sign a coalition agreement with 20 left-wing formations for joint participation in the elections. Talks about the left unification started from the first day of the interim leadership led by Atanas Zafirov. For more than two months, the BSP has been negotiating with leftist and patriotic formations, and working groups are writing a common program.
“Everything that happens in the BSP, in addition to satisfying personal unhealthy ambitions, has another bigger and more serious goal, namely – thwarting the consolidation of the left, sabotaging the left unification and, ultimately, a poor performance in the elections,” he announced Zafirov. And he explained that the exclusion of Ninova and its people was intended to give a clear signal to the party members and coalition partners that the BSP has decided to unite and this time is “irrevocable”.