The anti-corruption party “We Continue the Change” (“PP”) has presumably won the parliamentary elections in Bulgaria. According to the Bulgarian election authority, after around 50 per cent of the votes had been counted, PP came in first place with just under 26%. The national-conservative GERB party of ex-Prime Minister Boiko Borissov, who is involved in corruption cases, received 21.4% of the votes. Together with Daniel Freund, Sven Giegold had met representatives of the government and civil society in Bulgaria in the summer to discuss the accession process to the euro as well as the major problems with corruption and financial crime. Commenting on the preliminary results of the parliamentary elections in Bulgaria, Sven Giegold, financial and economic policy spokesperson of the Greens/EFA group, said:
“The result of the Bulgarian parliamentary election is a vote for European values. My congratulations go to the Anti-Corruption Party. The conservative party has acted anything but credibly and consistently after the corruption cases surrounding Boyko Borisov. This election outcome is the result of their behaviour. The Bulgarian voters have sent a clear signal against corruption. They have defended European values with their vote. The European Christian Democrats, on the other hand, have always lacked clarity in dealing with corruption and money laundering vis-à-vis their Bulgarian member party. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen should also be bolder in the fight against corruption. She must support democratic civil society everywhere in Europe with financial consequences for corruption and clear language.
In order to join the euro, Bulgaria must not only fulfil the formal accession criteria, but also take a determined approach to the fight against money laundering and financial crime. In this regard, the election result is an important step forward.”