STATEMENT
by the Movement for Rights and Freedoms
The European Parliament and its political groups have a long record of constructive talks resulting from the diversity and pluralism which are the underlying principles of the parliamentary system. This attitude is at the heart of our activity, as we are united by collective values and shared European identity.
More than half of the nations in the Renew Europe group, of which the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) is a proud member, are represented by two or more parties that also belong to the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in Europe (ALDE), where the MRF has been active for 23 years, and where many of these parties may oppose each other in their own countries.
Renew Europe however, has shown that it is able to act on achieving common goals that are based on shared values.
Thus, despite our political disagreements in our homeland, the MRF would not disapprove of We Continue the Change joining the ALDE political family.
Still, we are worried that it is domestic rather than European motives that drive the enthusiasm of Bulgaria’s prime minister Mr. Kiril Petkov.
In conversations with European leaders over his party's intent on joining ALDE, he has made unsubstantiated claims against the MRF. He has even used his position as a person in power with the aim to intensify the political conflict in Bulgaria.
Last week’s comments made by Mr. Petkov's are totally inappropriate and contradict the essence of the European Union.
There is a great deal of rhetoric in these allegations but no specifics. They demonstrate the ongoing campaign of Mr. Petkov's party, which is using its influence as the top partner in Bulgaria’s government to assault its opponents. This is an abuse of power and a dangerous tendency for our young democracy.
Prime minister Mr. Petkov uses Bulgarian media outlets and well-meaning but misinformed foreign partners as a weapon to attack a liberal movement dedicated not only to defending the rights and freedoms of all citizens, including minorities, but also to the close strategic reconciliation of Bulgaria with EU and NATO.
For more than 30 years, ever since its establishment as one of the first political parties in democratic Bulgaria, the MRF has steadily pushed towards the advancement of democracy in our country and for the promotion of the Euro-Atlantic values. Furthermore, it was the MRF that helped Bulgaria set on the right track of joining NATO in 2004 and the EU in 2007.
The Euro-Atlantic partnership has gained new significance in recent weeks.
Nonetheless, the MRF continues to be worried by the persistent influence of oligarchs on the political system and the intimacy of the Bulgarian socialists, who are part of Mr. Petkov's ruling coalition with the Russian regime.
It was due to the political pressure by the MRF that the Bulgarian parliament voted a declaration condemning the Russian military aggression from the very first day of the war in Ukraine and afterwards the MPs strongly supported the decision to provide military-technical aid to Kiev.
The MRF firmly opposed the so-called "golden passports", which are essentially the procurement of citizenship in return for money. Thanks to legislation amendments introduced by the Movement, the wrong practice has been abolished.
The MRF is an essential and strategic partner within the Renew Europe group, which supports the liberal philosophies and acts as a sort of an EU ambassador both worldwide and at a national level. This is a responsibility we embrace with utmost seriousness.
An act of recognition for our work is the re-election at a conference held last week in Dublin of MEP Ilhan Kucuk from the MRF as ALDE co-chair.
We imagine that the prime minister shares our objectives at a European level. Consequently, we do not oppose the accession of We Continue the Change to our group. However, we consider Mr. Petkov's attempts to tarnish the image of the MRF within Renew Europe as a betrayal of the values that make pluralism one of our strengths.
His party's likely membership of ALDE must be kept out of any domestic dissension. Prime minister Mr. Petkov's desire to join the Alliance must be motivated by sharing the values of liberal internationalism. He must not use the European Parliament to abuse his domestic political rivals.
Now is the moment for liberals to stand up for each other, and not settle domestic political accounts.
