World liberal leaders mobilise as Bulgarian partner party risks collapse

Leaders of international liberal formations expressed concern and took positions to prevent a split and even a collapse of Bulgaria’s Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) party, which is going through its biggest crisis since it was founded 34 years ago.

DPS, the second political force in the country at the last elections, represents the political interests of the country’s Turkish minority, estimated at 10% of the total population. The force is a member of the ALDE and of the Renew group in the European Parliament.

DPS has been rocked by internal scandals since its co-leader, Delyan Peevski, sanctioned for corruption by the US and Britain, launched a process two weeks ago to take control of the entire party and oust its founder and ideological leader Ahmed Dogan.

Late on Wednesday, Dogan, 70, who avoids public appearances and lives secluded in his residence, published a hard-hitting statement in which he accuses Peevski of a coup attempt.

Dogan denounced “an attempt at an internal party coup in order to use party power for personal and group interests, and above all to change the party’s political profile”.

In his words, the process of “illegitimate replacement of the DPS must definitely be stopped”, for which he demanded the resignation of Peevski.

Dogan spoke of “systematic non-compliance” by Peevski with the DPS statute, of a “brutal attitude towards members of the central governing bodies, towards the deputies of the DPS, towards the regional and municipal structures of the party”.

The process of an internal split in DPS started days ago when Peevski began excluding politicians of Turkish origin who are close to Dogan.

The situation has the potential to escalate further because the DPS describes itself as the guardian of the peaceful ethnic model in the country, with Bulgarians of Turkish origin making up about 10% of the population.

The first sign of support for Dogan came from Bulgarian MEP and ALDE co-chair Ilhan Kyuchyuk, who posted on his Facebook profile a photo of Dogan, in a clear sign of support for the DPS historic leader.

Kyuchyuk further made public three letters that highlight the international support for Dogan in the standoff with Peevski.

The letters, signed by Liberal International President Hakima el-Haite, Roman Jakic, president of the Liberal Southeast Europe Network (LIBSEEN), and Graham Watson, a former long-serving ALDE leader, are addressed to Dogan and members of the party’s operational leadership. They underline their support for Dogan and call for the situation in the DPS to be addressed.

“We resolutely and together continue to give our support to you (Dogan) and DPS to resist any attacks on your political and personal integrity,” Hakima el-Haite’s message read.

“Over the years, the DPS has proven to be the party of inclusiveness and stability. It has served as a unifying force and an example internationally and is guided by the vision of its honorary president. The DPS is on a truly pro-European and pro-NATO course,” Jakic writes.

Watson, too, expressed concern about the situation and sent a personal message to Dogan.

“Sadly, I have witnessed time and again how individual selfishness has driven DPS away from the founding principles of unity and collective action for individual freedoms, causing you to return again and again (to active politics) to fight for the party’s principles to be upheld,” writes Watson in support of Dogan.

(Krassen Nikolov | Euractiv.bg)

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