Bulgarian Socialist 'Dissident' MP to Run for Mayor Again

Georgi Kadiev, a lawmaker from the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), has voiced his intentions to run for mayor of Bulgaria's capital Sofia.

In Parliament, Kadiev has made no secret of his plans to either be an independent candidate or, if possible to unite left-wing, green and centrist parties around his bid.

The website Dnevnik.bg quotes him as saying the participation in such an alliance of the left-wing ABV party, which has a minister in the government, is tied to a stronger role ABV should take in Sofia's Municipal Council as an opposition to ruling GERB party.

These comments come amid speculation that ABV, which (headed by former President Georgi Parvanov) splintered off the BSP last year, might endorse Kadiev as a mayoral candidate.

In Kadiev's words, he believes he is posing a challenge to incumbent Yordanka Fandakova (GERB), and not to Mihail Mirchev, whose candidacy was raised by the socialists.

Kadiev, however, made clear why he would not leave the Bulgarian Socialist Party: "because it is in my heart".

"If they decide to expel me, there will be no drama, I already went through a semi-expulsion," he added.

Shortly after his announcement BSP Chair Mihail Mikov underline that Kadiev could now be expelled even if he didn't run and that he in no way represented the BSP, but only his own views.

Kadiev has been known for years as a self-styled "dissident" within the BSP, often being set against some of the party's key decisions, both in government and opposition terms for the socialists.

In 2011, he ran as the BSP's official mayor candidate, but lost to Fandakova.