Petar Vitanov of Progressive Bulgaria: In Few Days, We Will Be Called Upon to Take on Responsibility of Governing

Petar Vitanov, speaking on behalf of “Progressive Bulgaria”, warned his colleagues that “the 10-day euphoria is over” and that the party would soon be called upon to take responsibility for governing the country.

“We will have to take responsibility for governing and we will face a captured state,” he said.

Earlier today, April 30, the oldest MP Rumen Milanov of “Progressive Bulgaria” opened the first sitting of the newly elected 52nd National Assembly, where MPs took the oath of office.

Vitanov said the Parliament will need to adopt the budget and address problems in public finances, adding that tackling price speculation is another key task. He also highlighted the election of a new Supreme Judicial Council and a new Prosecutor General as a priority.

According to him, this is a strategic task requiring a qualified majority. It cannot be resolved without “Progressive Bulgaria”, but also requires support from other parties.

“I call on them not to sabotage the process and not to attempt to blackmail the majority. Judicial reform is not a party cause, but a public imperative,” he said.

Vitanov argued that citizens expect broad consensus around the integrity of experts and warned that “people expect justice and will not forgive petty political calculations”.

“On 19 April [the day of the parliamentary elections], oligarchs suffered defeat, but they continue to control the deep state and the media”, adding that their removal from institutions would be gradual but consistent.

He stressed the importance of stable parliamentary support for “our representatives in the executive branch”.

“In a state, attitudes change the slowest,” he said, pointing to declining trust in parliament. He added that voters had called for a new moral standard, language and ethics, and expressed confidence that “Progressive Bulgaria” would uphold standards of normal and respectful political conduct.

Vitanov criticised the practice of passing important laws in a semi-empty chamber, saying citizens expect a functioning Parliament.

He also warned against allowing Bulgaria to be used in global conflicts and said foreign policy must reflect national interests.

He stressed that Bulgaria is fully integrated into the European Union, but that the EU is not immune to mistakes, and the country should state its position “without complexes”.

According to the MP from “Progressive Bulgaria”, a balance between institutions must be maintained, a balance which he said had been disturbed by amendments to the Constitution. He gave as an example that political figures without independent authority had come to the head of the state.

Vitanov also said that the caretaker cabinet had allowed itself to sign a bilateral security agreement with Ukraine without a parliamentary mandate. He added that it had also changed the rules of procedure of the Council of Ministers just days before leaving office, which he described as a lack of statesmanship.

He further stated that the decisive victory of “Progressive Bulgaria” had prevented the political crisis from turning into a constitutional one.

“After several wasted years, we now have the opportunity to turn the Bulgarian Parliament into a driving force for the transition from oligarchy to a full-fledged European democracy,” Vitanov concluded.

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