Bulgarian Mogul’s MEP Nomination Upsets EU Liberals

Guy Verhofstadt, leader of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, ALDE, has failed to convince its Bulgarian sister party, the mainly ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms, DPS, not to put Peevski forward in the lists for the upcoming European elections, EurActiv reported.

Media mogul Peevski, whose appointment as head of Bulgaria’s security service in June 2013 sparked nationwide outrage, has been confirmed as the second name on the DPS party’s EU elections list.

Verhofstadt tried to convince the DPS not to create tensions by nominating Peevski, according to EurActiv. The former Belgian Prime Minister, and current candidate of his political group as the next Commission president, delivered the message both in direct talks with Filiz Hyusmenova, a current MEP and bureau member of ALDE, and by phone with Lutfi Mestan, the DPS leader in Bulgaria.

Verhofstadt has reportedly said that if elected, Peevski should not count on any post such as head of European Parliament committee or delegation, and would be treated as a backbencher.

"If what he wants is parliamentarian immunity, that much he can obtain, but he will not get any prominence," an ALDE source told EurActiv.