Истината

NDSV activists from across the Pazardzhik region gathered on Sunday in Kamena BLC at a seminar dedicated to the election campaign. The training is organized by the Fr. Naumann", the Institute for Liberal Strategies and NDSV. It ended with a press conference attended by the Vice-President of the Central Election Headquarters of NSDV Assoc. Atanas Shterev, MPs Milena Milotinova, Penka Peneva and Valentin Miltenov, Regional Governor Ivan Dimitrov, Nick Marinov from the Prime Minister's Office. In front of the media stood also the candidates for mayors in Pazardzhik - Dr. Alexander Dimitrov, Velingrad - Nikolay Deliev, Peshtera - Ivan Avramov, Rakitovo - Nikolay Gavrilov, Panagyurishte - Plamen Tarkalanov and Strelcha - Yako Boychev.
Assoc. Shterev released the data from a national poll conducted in early September with 7,000 respondents in 15 cities, including Pazardzhik. The results refute many of the rumours that are being carried, Mr. Shterev stressed. The first thing that is not true is the forecasts for left-wing wave - the survey shows that currently 17.4% would vote for NMSS, 16.4% for BSP, 14.3% for UDF and 11% for another political force. The bipolar model is over, the Bulgarians understood that the multi-party system gives them the right to choose. These results prove that the NDSV is now permanently on the political scene. The other debunked myth is that people will not vote - 56% declare a desire to cast their vote, 24% hesitate, 20% are adamant that they will not go to the polls. Assoc. Shterev predicts that the local elections will be a collapse for the narrow party candidates and the majority of voters will recognize their mayor among the independent contenders. The MEP's final conclusion was that today in Bulgaria optimists are more than pessimists.
Many of the questions were about the record number of candidates for local government and the mechanism of the current electoral law. Associate Professor Shterev and Milena Milotinova united around the position that NDSV would not in any way limit everyone's desire to run. The inherited system was in too much order and was denied, now is the time of liberalization and the government has no intention of putting any barriers to those willing to run. At the same time, the Bulgarian is a mature person and does not split between 100 parties, voters themselves will stop with their ballots those who are not for high positions, At said. Shterev. The presence of so many contenders Milena Milotinova explained by the fact that the real power is on the ground, that people want to participate in making decisions about their settlement. Here is also the great responsibility of citizens to delegate rights to those individuals who will make the right decisions. She announced the formation of more responsible municipal councils as NDSV's ambition for the elections. The most important thing is to get configurations that are useful for municipalities, because the district administration cannot be a perpetual corrective. Regarding a future change of the electoral law with strengthening of the majority element Assoc. Shterev said that in his opinion such a change is not necessary. Municipal councils in their present form are not carriers of collective irresponsibility, every political force in them pays the bill in elections. The politics of a locality cannot be done only by majority-elected individuals, it is done by political parties. Dr. Shterev was adamant that the claims that Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg was against the existence of the parties were not true at all. He also clarified the election relations between NDSV and DPS, which are based on the principle of mutual benefit. He stressed that they have a coalition agreement with the DPS and they are a loyal partner in the government, but they do not have a coalition agreement for the local elections. The reason - each political force has its own interests on the ground, in our area there are consultations between the NMSS and the MRF.
Responding to a question, the independent mayoral candidate for Velingrad Nikolay Deliev said that he was aware of the difficulties, but as an economist he felt prepared for local government. He did not name his main competitors, pointing out that the election fight is being fought between all candidates.
Elena Baeva