We should open the way to constitutional reforms which should strengthen civil rights and the control over the government, should guarantee the division of power and root out corruption, which gives birth to crime and poverty, Rumen Radev called for at a meeting with the Bulgarians fighting for statehood in Bulgaria
The full text of the President’s statement follows:
Dear compatriots,
I will not use the citizens’ rostrum because it is yours. However, today, at this critical moment for our homeland, I must address you and I am doing so from the presidential institution.
For 15 days in a row the square is full of hope and irreconcilability. Thousands of people have taken to the streets in all big cities not only in Bulgaria, but also across Europe.
Their posters tell a lot of truths, truths which the media keep silent about. Truths which the powers holders remain deaf to and refuse to hear. The protests convinced all discontent Bulgarians that they are not alone in their revolt, that the common aspirations toward freedom, the rule of law and justice united all generations. Most importantly, Bulgaria got rid of the psychosis and hypnosis of the propaganda and the world fixed its eyes on Bulgaria.
The protest did not yield to provocations. The people were not frightened by the insults, threats and repressions. Irrespective of their party and other affiliations, all people on the square together wave the tricolor banner. Bulgarians have never before been so united in their resolve to take back the state from the mafia. The square gave birth to the brotherhood of respectable people, who will never give up, who will never yield to or be slaves of lies and threats. People who will reject any doom and believe that our future lies in a free, European Bulgaria of the worthy citizens.
The protest demands the resignation of the whole government and the prosecutor general. However, the power holders have yet again turned a deaf ear to the protest and speak of a government reshuffle. They hope that the summer holidays and exhaustion will discourage Bulgarians. However, if they have the courage to go to the protesters and look them into the eyes, they will understand that this will not happen!
The resignations of the whole government and the prosecutor general are the first mandatory step towards fair elections, towards Bulgaria’s resuming its democratic path, towards starting an irreversible dismantling of the vicious government model, which anchored us at the bottom of Europe, towards a restart of the political process and the modernization of the country.
We need a new parliament, and the current majority is deaf to public demands. We should open the way to a constitutional reform, to new changes that will strengthen civil rights and the control over the government, that will guarantee the division of power and the conduct of a reform in the judiciary as a guarantee for justice and the rooting out of corruption, which gives birth to crime and poverty, that will create conditions for employment, incomes and prospects which will make our brothers come home from abroad. And most importantly – Bulgaria’s European future and its irreversibility should be guaranteed, phrases should not be used as a beautiful façade behind which robbery and outrage are committed.
This is a historical task. It requires unity. The word together is written on a lot of posters from the protest and it is the key to success! The road is difficult, however each effort is worthwhile because the stakes are high. Bulgaria is at stake! And all people that took to the streets are writing Bulgaria’s history, therefore I wish them success and irreconcilability.
Thugs, out!
Long live Bulgaria!