The Bulgarian Socialist Party has issued an official position following accusations that 60 delegates were unconstitutionally replaced for the party’s upcoming Congress. The Socialists are adamant that the Red leadership cannot change delegates.
„This can only be done by the municipal and district conferences of local structures in compliance with the constitution,“ the Bulgarian Socialist Party stressed.
„Of all the more than 950 delegates at the 50th Congress, changes were made by the Vidin party organisation, where the entire leadership left the party before the previous parliamentary elections and quite naturally the conference of Vidin socialists elected new delegates in their place to represent them at the Congress.“
This was also stated by the headquarters of the Socialists. They explained that changes were also made by the conferences of the Plovdiv members of the party, where “nearly a year ago began a full cycle of reports and elections in the six districts of the city. In a full cycle of reports and elections, entirely new bodies are elected, including new delegates to the Congress, which can only be done by local structures”.
New delegates have also been re-elected from the local leaders on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the constitutionally mandated resignation, permanent disability or death.
There is one delegate seat that will remain empty as the holder has been expelled from the party, the Bulgarian Socialist Party further explained. They added:
“In conclusion, out of over 950 delegates to the Congress, the changes made by the local structures in its composition are less than 5% and all of them were made in accordance with the Statute of the Bulgarian Socialist Party. The lies and speculation are aimed at discrediting the Congress, which we will not allow.”
The Reds’ position comes after statements on Sunday ahead of the failed National Council by the opposition in the person of Kostadin Paskalev and Kiril Dobrev. They accused the leadership of changing between 50 and 70 delegates for the upcoming Congress against the rules spelled out in the party’s constitution. Moreover. Paskalev described the actions of the leadership of the Bulgarian Socialist Party as „outrages“, while Kiril Dobrev pointed out that all the suspended people had paid their membership fees and worked for the Socialist Party.
