Former Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov's annoucement that he will run for leader of the Bulgarian Socialist Party might have negative effects on the party, commented current chair Sergey Stanishev.

Tuesday Parvanov, who stepped down from two 5-year terms as Bulgaria's President end of January, finally explicitly announced he will try to return as the Socialists' chair at an upcoming party congress in May.

Parvanov chaired the Bulgarian Socialist Party from 1996 until being elected in his first term as Bulgaria's President in 2001, during which period he did much to reform the party and make it a pro-Western European social-democratic party.

He was succeeded by Stanishev, who served as Bulgaria's PM 2005-9, and currently holds the interim presidency of the Party of European Socialists.

"In the past, the Bulgarian Socialist Party has always stood behind President Parvanov. We now have for the first time a situation in which a former President is running for chair of the party - something which has a precedent in other Bulgarian parties and has only led to dire results," commented Stanishev.

The socialist leader added that Parvanov better quit the divisive rhetoric and put forwad concrete alternatives that could promote the development of the Socialist Party and its standing in Bulgarian political life, where it currently occupies the second position in terms of popularity, well behind Bulgarian PM Boyko Borisov's center-right GERB.

"We presently lack a discussion about the role of Bulgaria in the EU. In addition, we are witnessing a systematic destruction of the welfare state due to GERB policies," said Stanishev, adding that all socialists should unite to oppose GERB.

On his part, Georgi Parvanov also promoted his candidacy by arguing he possessed the best leadership qualities to counteract PM Boyko Borisov and his policies.

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