Bulgarian MEP Barekov Sets Up New Party, Ditching Old One

Just after abolishing his previous party, Bulgarian MEP Nikolay Barekov unveiled on Saturday a new political project, aimed at fighting corruption and changing the media landscape.

Barekov, who in December said he would put an end to his once popular Bulgaria without Censorship party, used a congress on Saturday to dissolve the party and found what its sympathizers chose to be named "Reload Bulgaria", according to daily 24 Chasa.

The MEP, a journalist-turned-politician who in the past years rose to fame for populist rhetoric, sweeping much of the vote in the EU Parliament election in 2014, with his party entering the Bulgarian legislature in the autumn of the same year. However, it only took months for other parties in the coalition he ran together with in the legislative vote to absorb nearly all lawmakers from his party, effectively ousting him as a heavyweight with an influence on the parliamentary faction. 

Within the EP, he is also notorious for his questionable command of English.

His Bulgaria without Censorship party was declared abolished on December 09, the day when former Justice Minister Hristo Ivanov unveiled his new political project, and was also founded on the same day - this Saturday.

The congress brought together some prominent guests, including former caretaker Prime Minister Reneta Indzhova, former MEP Dimitar Stoyanov, controversial archimandrite Dionissius.

Barekov also promised to fight for putting a cap on the number of terms MPs can serve.

Other proposals include barring low-education citizens from casting ballots and a switch to a first-past-the-post system, which Bulgarian voters already demanded in a referendum in the autumn.

Illiterate citizens will be subjected to military conscription...