The leader of ABV and Bulgarian President (2002-2012) Georgi Parvanov announced that his party is willing to lend support to parties of the left, including BSP at the forthcoming local elections in the autumn.

The Alternative for Bulgarian Revival (ABV), which is one of the junior partners in Bulgaria's coalition government, is to celebrate its first anniversary on Saturday, electronic daily Dnevnik reports.

Parvanov said in an interview for private NOVA TV, that he could not allow the left to fall victim of personal confrontations.

The former President reiterated that Bulgaria could not develop without a strong left.

Parvanov stated that his party is prepared to discuss joint nominations for mayors and mixed or separate party lists, depending on which would be better for the particular region.

He added that his party is to develop its ideas on the appearance of the new left identity and will engage both traditional and active social layers.

Parvanov admitted that representatives of his party were not invited at the discussion of the programme declaration, signed by the coalition partners.

In contrast with other coalition partners, ABV did not protest the appointments of party cadres, but argued for policies.

Parvanov criticised the strategy for the judicial reform as being weak, written in a declarative style and containing cliches.

The leader of ABV assured that his party will support the strategy, but will express a dissenting opinion when the laws are discussed.

The former President expressed support for the construction of the South Stream pipeline by using the route of the Nabucco project.

As regards the holding of a referendum, Parvanov said that it should take place with the local elections, if not earlier, and should feature questions on both compulsory voting and majority electoral system.