Bulgarian Socialist Leader Warns of Tough, Aggressive Forthcoming Elections

Sergey Stanishev, Leader of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), has said that the forthcoming elections will be the toughest in Bulgaria's modern history.

Stanishev gave a speech during the 18th traditional meeting of the left-wing party, held at Mount Buzludzha in the Stara Planina range, to mark the 120th anniversary of the Socialist Movement in Bulgaria and the Day of BSP, August 2nd.

Saturday's festivities started with a one-hour delay due to the thick fog and the rain.

The event was attended by an estimated 50 000 people.

Stanishev, BSP leader and former Prime Minister, said that the party's candidates at the upcoming presidential and local elections would be subjected to costly hostile media campaigns , personal attacks and slandering,  but assured his party fellows that the BSP contenders "have the courage to take part in this difficult and unequal fight".

Stressing that BSP was strong enough to fight in both the presidential and the local elections, Stanishev reminded that "Every time we got into infighting, fell hostage to external dictate or suffered defeat, we managed to recover."

Addressing supporters, Stanishev emphasized that the socialist ideal was still alive, despite the attempts of BSP's political opponents over the past 20 years to stifle it.

The left-wing leader declared that the transition years had left Bulgaria's agriculture split into pieces, science and education had been stripped of dignity and the people had been dragged into poverty.

"The ideal of the ones in power over the years was personal gain, while their success was achieved at the expense of ordinary working-class citizens. This is not a democratic state, it is a state of repression", Stanishev stated.

During his presentation as a BSP presidential runner, MEP Ivaylo Kalfin abandoned expert talk to pick up traditional party rhetoric.

"We are here to show the country a policy of solidarity and to put an end to two years of institutional oppression, human rights' violations and declining living standards.", he stated, vowing that BSP would win the elections and do away with the confrontational and aggressive manner of government.

BSP used the Mount Buzludzha meeting as an opportunity to present its confirmed mayoral candidates in 177 municipalities, including 18 district cities.

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