New Bulgarian Party Vows to 'Break System'

A new party called "Yes, Bulgaria!", led by former Justice Minister Hristo Ivanov, has vowed to restore the rule of law, hasten national development and fight corruption and poverty.

A total of 1,250 delegates registered as founding members on Saturday and elected Ivanov as president of the party, which will run in the next parliamentary elections.

In his programme speech, Ivanov, who quit the coalition government led by Boyko Borissov at the end of 2015, referred ominously to the early elections this spring, noting that "the Bulgarian oligarchy is preparing to carry out another vote in order to reload the corruption model".

He told delegates of the founding assembly: "We have to break the system."

Together with other public figures, including former tennis player Manuaela Maleeva and law professor Christian Takov, Ivanov launched "Yes Bulgaria!" in December as a political project with a focus on anti-corruption and the slogan "Politicize yourself".

Coming from the civil sector, legal expert Ivanov joined Borissov's government in 2014 when it aimed at an ambitious reform of the judiciary, demanded both at home and by Brussels.

He resigned a year later after parliament watered down his reform plans in December 2015.

"Whoever tells you that any national goal can be achieved without dealing with corruption's capture of the state is lying to you," the ex-minister said.

He warned that all members of his party would have to sign an "integrity pact", declaring they have no links to former state security services and pledging to elect all members of the party's governing body transparently.

Although the political project was launched only recently, the constituent assembly of "Yes, Bulgaria!" attracted more than twice...