Europe must rethink its role as “second fiddle” in our collective security and make investments in its own defense capability adequate to geopolitical realities. This is stated by the honorary chairman of the DPS, Dr. Ahmed Dogan, in his welcome to the DPS conference. It was read by MEP Iskra Mihailova.
In any case, there will certainly be a new reading of the North Atlantic Treaty, says Dogan. He focused on three main topics: Possible changes in NATO, the challenges related to the European elections and the meaning of the election of two co-presidents.
“Your task is to expand the periphery, to show the weight and prestige of the DPS against the background of power misunderstandings and “rotations” of the rulers. It must be clear to us that early parliamentary elections based on the “2 in 1″ formula may further destabilize the country and cause a punitive vote with unpredictable consequences,” Dogan is emphatic.
Here is the full message from Dr. Ahmed Dogan, Honorary Chairman of DPS:
Dear guests from the country and abroad!
Dear delegates of the 11th Conference of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms!
Dear messengers!
We live in a complex, very dynamic and unpredictable geopolitical time…
NATO, the UN and all other international institutions involved still cannot find the necessary negotiating tools to stop the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. Every day we witness numerous human victims, including children, who leave life without being aware of any explanation for what is happening to them. But they leave in the souls of their loved ones a desire for revenge and hatred for those who caused their pain. Motives for retribution are passed on to the next generation, as are the seeds of discord and subsequent conflict and bloodshed…
It is not unimportant to note that both wars are fratricidal!
It is remarkable that the legitimate representatives who observe the world order still cannot find an “acceptable solution” to stop this human tragedy, which also causes a huge humanitarian catastrophe. This picture is part of the image of our civilization in the 20s of the XXI century.
Dear ladies and gentlemen, very briefly but to the point, I would like to draw your attention to three questions:
– first – possible changes in NATO and the problem of European security;
– second – the challenges related to the upcoming EP elections;
– third – the meaning of the idea of two presidents of DPS in the current context.
I hope you will agree with me that the main problem of our time is the peace and security of Europe, the world and each of us in our daily lives.
In this line of thought, first, let’s refresh our general impression of the direct “political bluntness of Donald Trump’s position on the “present and future of NATO”. He said something simple, but strategically important for Europe: “everyone must pay their bill for the security they receive from the USA!” Thus, he laid Pragmatism as the foundation of collective security, respectively, and as a principle of partner relations in the Alliance. This “hot news” went around the planet in hours and woke up the European elites from the inertial slumber of “comfortable security” in which they had been hovering for decades. This speech exposed, as in a market, our conscious and unconscious doubts and fears about the peace and security of our entire geopolitical area. Of course, this shock effect affected the entire public perception and showed us how quickly the world in which we live is changing. This situation also shows us something very important: our worldview is not ready for such radical changes to our ideas about peace and our common security. This is a sure indication that the world is changing faster than our stereotypes of perceptions about it! That is, we fall behind the world we have built. The world is developing faster than us!
Of course, this trend of “rethinking NATO’s goals and objectives” has been in an active project phase for the last 5-6 years. It is only a matter of time before this happens, regardless of who will be the president of the USA, nor whether Europe likes it or not!
The truth is that Europe needs to rethink its role as “second fiddle” in our collective security and make investments in its own defense capability that are adequate to geopolitical realities. In any case, there will certainly be a new reading of the North Atlantic Treaty. In my opinion, our choice of Euro-Atlanticism will continue to be relevant, but with an explicit or implicit reformatting of the responsibilities between the member countries, with a redefinition of the role of some of them for the common security of Europe. This process is irreversible and does not depend on our will. Unfortunately, it has already started and Europe’s reaction is late, but with a good prospect for development. It is sad to say that the next 10-15 years, and maybe more, awaits us with a rampant militarization of the world, including Europe, as a veteran of rearmament. I cannot find suitable words to tell young people that for the foreseeable future our desire to live with the idea of ”romantic humanism” or in a “society of common sense”, with the principles of “force of law” and moral imperatives, will have limited options in their lives.
For DPS, the upcoming European elections will be a test of reformation and readiness to participate in the political life of Bulgaria and in the EP. We all know that our solid electorate mostly votes in the European elections. Your task is to expand the periphery, to show the weight and prestige of DPS against the background of power misunderstandings and “rotations” of the rulers. It should be clear to us that early parliamentary elections based on the “2 in 1” formula may further destabilize the country and trigger a punitive vote with unpredictable consequences.
In the next EP, there will be a lot of talk about “national identity”, “national sovereignty” and “national interests”… If in the USA isolationism takes precedence in its foreign policy, pro-nationalist parties in Europe will emerge as natural political partners of the conservatives. This possible political perspective calls into question the current status and profile of the EU, as well as its integrity.
Dear like-minded people, co-chairmanship by definition is a counterpoint to individual decisions, therefore it means debate in the collective bodies of any organization and making common decisions. When this is not possible due to imperative operational requirements for one or another action or position, the two Chairs decide on their own responsibility what to do. Co-presidency is being imposed as a political form of leadership in various European countries, including Bulgaria. This formula includes both single-party and coalition formats.
In this particular case, the idea of two presidents of the DPS has three main reasons:
– firstly – the fight for the observance and protection of our rights and freedoms, thanks to which we are what we are in Bulgaria and in the European political space, is an unchanging strategic priority of DPS;
– second – in recent years, the DPS has expanded its electoral perimeter, which also implies a renewal of its political image, with adequate electoral representation;
– third – the DPS needs to revive and activate its model of working with real people and local party structures, as well as in solving the emerging problems of the local government people.
If this ongoing commitment to our constituents does not become a priority for DPS, the prospect of becoming a boutique paid party is certain!
Due to these important considerations, I suggest to the attention of the XI National Conference of the DPS that the voting of the two candidates for presidents be in a package, that is, simultaneously. Thus, the new leadership paradigm in the DPS will also demonstrate the party’s unity.
Dear messengers!
We are witnessing the genesis of a multipolar geopolitical world, which I have been talking about for more than 10 years.
Despite the upheavals and uncertainties we are yet to experience, we are living in extremely interesting times.
I wish you to turn everyone’s PEACE, SECURITY AND PROSPERITY into a personal motivation for life for each of you!
Thus the world will seem more reliable to us and to our children.
I wish you good health!
Always yours: A. Dogan
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