/ world today news/ The left must come up with clear economic messages for the vote, people’s biggest concerns are double-digit inflation and energy prices
“In the most difficult moment for the left, after a heavy loss in 2009, we created the Youth Union to show that the BSP has a perspective, to bring young people to the forefront and give them independence. It was important to have a national youth association that stood behind every young person in the party and gave them a way. Today you are entering a teenage age – 13 years old, which is a bit risky and emotional, but also very interesting,” said PES President Sergey Stanishev to the youth in Stara Zagora, at the political conversation they organized “Politics at the Crossroads: Bulgaria, Europe and the world”.
“This year we are celebrating 13 years of the MoD, 30 years of the PES and 131 years of the BSP! Socialism is an optimistic ideology – you can’t be a socialist if you’re a pessimist. But today we are in a difficult moment, which is a test for the BSP and for the left in general. People’s biggest concern is related to their economic survival. The BSP must have an adequate response to these concerns. A very clear program is needed to save the real economy, with anti-crisis measures to prevent business closures and job losses. Without real anti-crisis measures, it is not possible to guarantee the taming of inflation and the rise in the prices of energy carriers,” commented Stanishev.
“Today, the BSP leadership says it is the most loyal coalition partner in a government that made decisions to cut off gas supplies and expel Russian diplomats. It came up with social proposals that rather pumped up inflation. These actions called into question the country’s energy and fiscal security. Another important issue on which the left did not express a definite opinion was the need for negotiations for a peaceful resolution of the war in Ukraine. As a socialist, I am against war – it was the same with the war in former Yugoslavia, that’s why I also withdrew the contingent from Iraq. There is no argument for tens of thousands of casualties on either side. The big losers from the war are Ukraine, Russia and Europe.”
Stanishev also outlined the topics in the upcoming elections. The PES president warned that the BSP must “avoid one risk – the PP will defend its own political interests and profile – all others will be enemies. BSP will be wrong if it allows the main clash to be PP – GERB. In all elections there are two poles, the other is a filler. BSP needs to emerge as an independent pole to attract energy. We must invest effort, thought, emotion to protect the left in Bulgaria, because there is no one else to do it. To protect people and let them feel it.”
At the invitation of the Chirpa party organization of the BSP and its chairman Georgi Nikolaev, Stanishev met with the local asset in the house-museum “Peyo K. Yavorov” and shared that he has a very special attitude to the Staro Zagora region. “I have been a leader of the leaves here, I have had dozens of meetings both in Chirpan and in many other places. You and I can’t help but feel bad about the state of our party, and we’re going to elections again. There are no irretrievably missed opportunities in politics. But we must learn from the mistakes that brought us to 260,000 votes.”
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