The Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) National Council has expelled former party leader Kornelia Ninova, along with Georgi Svilenski, Ivan Chenchev, and Krum Donchev. The decision, made at a plenum in Sofia, was supported by 105 votes in favor, 16 against, and 4 abstentions.

Tensions within the BSP escalated earlier this week when Ninova authorized Svilenski and Chenchev to register the party for upcoming elections, a task the interim leadership believed should be handled by Atanas Zafirov, the acting BSP chairman following Ninova's resignation.

Atanas Zafirov, commenting on the expulsion, emphasized that the decision was made democratically. He pointed to Ninova’s refusal to comply with the National Council's directive to authorize him for the election registration as a key factor in her expulsion. Zafirov stressed that any actions taken by Ninova or others expelled from the party, such as attempts to register lists, would be viewed as provocations and illegitimate.

Ninova confirmed that she did not sign the National Council's decision and reiterated her stance that her resignation should be finalized by an extraordinary congress, a proposal that was rejected by the plenum. She maintained that the BSP registration for the elections would proceed through her authorized proxies, Svilenski and Chenchev.

The National Council’s decision to expel Ninova and her associates comes amid a broader effort to consolidate the left political space, with a coalition agreement between 20 center-left entities expected to be signed soon. Zafirov underscored that the expulsion was necessary to ensure the integrity of the BSP’s operations and to prevent any disruptions to the party’s preparations for the upcoming elections.

He also warned that any further actions taken by those expelled would be met with legal consequences and emphasized that the party's leadership was committed to following the constitution and rules of the BSP. Zafirov dismissed comparisons to other political situations and affirmed that the BSP would only appear on the ballot with a single list, as any other attempts would be considered invalid.