Traditions and development, shared by MGERB

23/09/08


In honour of 22 september 2008 and celebrating 100 years of the Bulgarian independence, Monika Panayotova, Chairwoman of MGERB and Tsvetan Tsvetanov, Chairman of GERB together with young people from all the country put a wreath on the monument of the unknown soldier. After that they headed for the hall for the closing part of the second session of the political academy that started in the end of August.


45 representatives of the youth organization of the party from all te regions were being trained during 3 days in rhetorics and conducting political debates. Lecturers of the training were Mr. Gotfrid Linn – representative of ‘Konrad Adenauer’ Foundation and Dr. Todor Chobanov. The political academy happens due to the assistance of Hanns Seidel Foundation and Mr. Bogdan Mirchev – representative of the Foundation for Bulgaria.




On the closure of the session that took place yesterday in Central Park hotel was also Mr.Tsvetan Tsvetanov who received festive badges, made by the youth organization from Vratsa especially for the day of 100 years of Independence. He emphasized that he was unusually contented by the way young people were selected and remarked that the knowledge received during the political academy would be of great importance, because exactly from those participating in it, would have to enter in the future lists for general and European elections. The foreign guest pointed out that after those three days spent with youth from GERB, he was positive about the future of the party. The Bulgarian lecturers replied that according to them, they were sure about the future of our country.

The next training as a part of the academy will be on the topic: political culture and will take place in October.

MGERB continues political academy of PP GERB

21/09/08

In the period 20-22 September 2008 the Youth organization of PP GERB holds the second round of trainings as a part of the Political Academy of PP GERB on ‘Rhetorics and conducting negotiations’, kindly financed by ‘Hanns Seidel’ Foundation, Blgaria.

The training was opened on 20 September 2008 at 9.00 by Monika Panayotova, Chairwoman of MGERB and Dr. Gotfrid Linn – lecturer of ‘Konrad Adenauer’ Foundation from Germany and Dr. Todor Chobanov.

Among the main subjects in the training are: rules of political rhetorics, public speaking, political debates, discussions.

On Monday in Central Park Hotel at 13.00 the training will be closed by Mr. Tsvetan Tsvetanov, chairman of PP GERB, Mr. Radoslav Tochev, international secretary of PP GERB and Mr. Bogdan Mirchev, representative of ‘Hanns Seidel’ Foundation for Bulgaria.

M.Panayotova: On corruption and irresponsibility the Cabinet has an excellent mark

16/09/08

Monika Panayotova is only 24 years old, but is already leader of the youth in GERB. She held this post from this year and she is filled with enthusiasm and will for work and changes. She graduated international relations at UNWE, speaks French and English and has a working knowledge of Spanish. She likes travelling, Celine Dion and her favourite film is ‘Brave heart’.


- Was it some kind of a surprise for you the start of the new political season? Will the expectations for ‘hot’ autumn and winter come true?
- Unfortunately I was not surprised, because after the report of the European Commission in July, neither the behaviour, nor the manners of the ruling centre and mostly of the prime minister changed. The start of the political season was marked by promises reposes for a small part of the pensioners, with black PR and attacks against our leader and party. I don’t think that this is what citizens expect, so I’m happy for the fact that our party follows an European model of behaviour, based on the facts and transparence together with you – the media and with the participation of the citizens, although this is so difficult for us in the current situation. Both campaigns that we started in EPP format, as well as this one with young people for so called ‘Democratic exams’ aim exactly to show the opinion of people. Yes, unfortunately, we expect really ‘hot’ but not cosy autumn and winter, unless the rulers surprise us positively.

- How the youth GERB will warm up the situation?
- I wouldn’t like people to remain with the impression that we warm up the situation. Unfortunately, it is hot enough and the current policy of the government keeps ceaselessly the fire. What we strive for with young people is to give people an opportunity to express in a delicate way their discontent of the situation in the country. As an organization that started its growth first as a civil association and after that developed into political, we have always been part of the active civil society, which when face mistakes has the awareness and will to notice them

- You gave student books to the ministers or more exactly to some of the ministers from the cabinet. It was the idea of the initiative that the ministers have no right to make more mistakes, order-remarks and poor marks. At the same time the subjects on which you examine them are: ‘Corruption’, ‘Irresponsibility’, ‘Hypocrisy’, ‘Abuse of authority’, ‘Transparence’, ‘Responsibility’, ‘Justice’ and ‘Succession’. Yet, those ‘students’ have already been for three years at the school of government. How do these students from the cabinet perform so far?
- The idea of the initiative focuses in conducting a local referendum each month that young people will organize in the constituency from which the relevant minister is elected. By this way the mark that the minister will receive would be of great importance from the people, who voted for them and with whom, being elected and coming in Sofia, they lose real contact. In regard of this in the end of the month in all regions there will be spread inquiries in the form of student books, in which citizens could estimate the work of the government on the mentioned subjects from poor to excellent. We have also created a group in facebook where young people can expose their opinion, as they’re every day informed about the activity of the ‘students’, expressed in the media. That’s why on the last page of the student books it was marked for the ministers – ‘no right for correction’ or what we very well realize in GERB is that the Council of ministers is not a school. Although at some extent it is turned into a school by the government, it is a place where all have to be well prepared as experts and also with clear sense of responsibility for the voters and for the political party, from which they are suggested.

- Who are the excellent and poor students? What kind of ‘student’ is the leader in the class – Sergei Stanishev?
- Counting about 500 000 filled orders for dismissal of the government, headed by the leader in the class, what kind of student do you think he is, and when the class is ruled by him we could hardly have higher result?! Actually on corruption, irresponsibility and abuse of authority he has, I could say excellent results, but on responsibility and transparence definitely not.

- They all however have the desire to ‘repeat’ school, namely to receive another mandate. How will you fight with those wanting to repeat?
- Exactly because we suppose that they would like to repeat, we expressly emphasized ‘no right for correction’. (smile) One of the most important aspects of this school is the training for democracy. As a right party, one of our main values and leading principle is the liberal democracy – liberal because it exists in accordance to the law and democracy, or namely in accordance with citizens.

- As parent in the student books of the adult students you wrote Ahmed Dogan as the mandate was given to him. How does he perform as a parent?
- Definitely he is a guardian.


- Why financier №1 Plamen Oresharski was so angry on your joke? He commented that he didn’t need student book, because his student years had passed long ago.
- Maybe he doesn’t have sense of humour or simply he realizes the importance of the problem, although presented in a delicate and playful way and that’s why he automatically took a defensive position. We weren’t angry on him.

- At the same time GERB started also a protest subscription campaign that is an order for dismissal of the government of the three-party coalition. The campaign is under the title – ‘I am european’. How is going the collecting of signatures so far and what are the expectations?
- The signatures are multiplying by hours and this shows that the citizens are really not contented and I’m happy that they share this. There are also members of BSP among those who are signing and this means that the subscription reflects correctly the opinion of the citizens for the situation in the country, but not the opinion of some parties. I want very much to see more active citizens with clear position so that each government to have a permanent civil control.

- Would you watch in this critical way the activity of your party if it wins the elections or you’ll be indulgent?
- We are definitely as very critical, also very self-critical. The good thing in our party is that we can express freely our opinion, to give suggestions which are not treated as something of small importance or uncomfortable truth, but are considered. This is a clear example that we are a party in progress and party with principles. Another example confirming this position are the moral declarations that were signed by our nominees for the local elections and on whose base some of them are not already with us.

- As youth from GERB do you have any contacts with other young people from the right-wing?
- Yes, we have in the aspect of the big family of the European People’s Party and the centre-right European student field.

- Do you know young left people? They also describe themselves as Europeans. Do they have grounds to claim this?
- Personally I don’t know representatives of young lefts. My impression for them is based on what they demonstrate as behaviour, negative messages and continuous black PR against our leader. I suppose that there are also young people in BSP who are not so bitter but unfortunately the party uses them in this negative way and instead of spending so much on the Internet site of our leader, on negative initiatives and parties, to invest in their development. I’m happy that the energy and abilities of the youth in GERB is accumulating in training seminars, research and civil initiatives with positive message that express our values – tolerance, responsibility, family, freedom and liberal democracy. The fact that they define themselves as Europeans is very good, now however they have to behave as Europeans, because after our acceptance in the EU we are all European citizens, but the identification – European requires a definite type of behaviour and thinking.

MGERB started Political academy

30/08/08


The youth organization of PP GERB started first round of trainings that will be in five sections in the context of the so called Political academy of PP GERB. There is a group of 45 participants – young people representing all the regions in the country, who were selected in advance on CV and after that submitted to tests, made and evaluated by qualified psychologists and experts.
Political academy of PP GERB started in August this year in Veliko Tarnovo with the first summer university of GERB on the topic: Young voice in European Bulgaria.
Today it was officially opened by the chairman of PP GERB Tsvetan Tsvetanov and the representative of ‘Hanns Seidel’ foundation for Bulgaria – Bogdan Mirchev. In his address to the young people Mr. Tsvetanov emphasized on the role of young people in the socio-political life. ‘The aim of the political academy, that we organized, is to train you in order to recognize your strong and weak points, to be able to react in critical situations and to be adequate at the challenges that you face while participating in the political life. The policy of PP GERB is an investment in young people, so that the idea of this training is to prepare you in a best way, because as you know the party will select forward its personnel among you.

‘Democratic exams for the Bulgarian government’ – national campaign of MGERB

28/08/08


In the beginning of the new political season, MGERB started national campaign ‘Democratic exams for the Bulgarian government’. During this national campaign active members of MGERB, members and sympathizers of GERB as well as all Bulgarian citizens will put marks about the Bulgarian government’s work.

The main subjects that will be rated are: corruption, abuse of authority, arbitrariness, hypocrisy, transparency, responsibility, fairness and succession.

To express its evaluation MGERB made real student’s books for all the ministers and the premier. In the space for ‘parent’ youngsters wrote the name of Ahmed Dogan because the mandate for forming a government was given to MRF. The European Union is written in the space for ‘principal’, because the Union gives the marks for the work of government. The electoral commission is formed by all Bulgarian citizens.

There is a label sticked in the space for term, yearly marks and for supplementary exams, on which together with the logo of MGERB is written ‘No right for correction’
In the books can be written marks for incompetence, unprofessionalism and lack of adequacy of governing.

Citizens could also write unexcused absences for the members of the Cabinet for their lack of touch with the current problems in Bulgaria – e.g. the permanent absence of minster Emel Etem from the areas, hit by crisis and natural disasters.

Young people of GERB will formulate and add to the list with supplementary subjects, according to the current blunders of the Bulgarian government that continuously face our society.

The aim of this campaign is to express unambiguously and clearly the opinion of the young people in Bulgaria and all Bulgarian people for the work of the Bulgarian government. Everyone who wants to express opinion and give mark can address to the national and local structures of MGERB.

‘Young voice in European Bulgaria’ – national initiative of MGERB

15/08/08





The youth organization of PP GERB (MGERB) with the kind assistance of ‘Hanns Seidel’ foundation organized Summer university on the topic: Youth voice in European Bulgaria. The event took place in Veliko Tarnovo in the period of 14-17 August 2008 in Interhotel Veliko Tarnovo.

The participants in the Summer university of MGERB, which we hope will become tradition of our organization, were selected by one representative of the regional executive councils and one representative of the regional organization of MGERB.

‘The aim of the Summer university of MGERB is to contribute by interactive sessions and exchange of experience and ideas for new knowledge, skills and good practices, connected with political culture, campaign management and the successful activity of organizations’ told the Chairwoman of MGERB Monika Panayotova in her address to the participants. The opening was attended by the Chairman of GERB Tsvetan Tsvetanov and the International secretary Radoslav Tochev. ‘You are the capital of GERB, you’re those who will govern, you are future deputies and ministers’, said the Chairman of GERB Tsvetan Tsvetanov to the participants. Tsvetanov emphasized on the necessity of succession in the structure of the party and also the need for the Youth organization to exist actively. The project ‘Summer university’ is a basis, on which the bank of young successful personnel of PP GERB will develop.

After the formal opening, the Summer university started with the first lecture – ‘Electoral systems and campaign management’. Lecturer in this session was Mrs. Iskra Fidosova – member of the EC of PP GERB. The seminar took place till 17-th August. The young politicians listened for Campaign management – good European practices, in the aspect of the Bulgarian situation, lecturer Bogdan Mirchev – Director of ‘Hanns Seidel’ Foundation for Bulgaria, for ‘How the reforms are conducted in Freance. Theory and practice of the process of reforms’ – lecturer Raphael del Rey – expert from the French people’s party. The summer academy presented also lectures on: Main right principles and values and their promotion at the time of campaign – lecturer Radoslav Tochev – International secretary of PP GERB. It was also organized a session about the way we can be effective in communication, in which Rumyana Bachvarova – Executive manager of sociological agency ‘Market links’ was lecturer. There was also a lecture ‘Psychology of influence’ by Prof. Rumen Stamatov – Vice-dean in Plovdiv University ‘Paisii Hilendarski’.

MGERB received an observer status in the organization of the European Democrat Students (EDS)

18/07/08

The nice impressions of the leaders of the European Democrat Students after their visit in June 2008 in Bulgaria, gave opportunity for the Youth organization of PP GERB to apply for observer membership and after a year for full membership in EDS. During the Summer University of EDS that took place on 15-20 July in Malta and in which Monika Panayotova – Chairwoman of MGERB and Hristo Gadzhev – International secretary of MGERB participated, the application letter for membership of the Youth organization of PP GERB in the biggest right-oriented student organization in Europe was considered. After presentation of the organization, made by the Chairwoman of MGERB Monika Panayotova in which she declared the strong desire of MGERB for work in the right student field in Europe and particularly on the Balkans and if she had to describe the Youth organization by three main points, they would be – sharp mind and new ideas, energy and synergy; work and real activity, 29 delegats – representatives of different youth and student organization of leading right parties in Europe voted unanimously so that MGERB to receive an observer status. Along with the voting about the status of the candidat – organizations, elections for new president and vice-presidents of EDS were held. As a president of EDS was elected Thomas Uhlen from Germany and by his proposal the ex-president Ana Janine from Portugal received a status of honorary president.