Green Movement (), until 2019 The Greens (), is a green-liberal political party in Bulgaria founded in 2008.
History Green Movement emerged from a number of non-governmental organizations who felt, after years of work in the area of environment protection, human rights, etc. that their work needed serious political backing if it was to have a lasting effect. A major motivation to found a political party was criticism of various shortcomings in the political system in Bulgaria, including widespread corruption, lack of democratic control, and the general malfunction of state institutions at all levels. The party had its inaugural meeting in May 2008 in Sofia (capital of Bulgaria). During the following three months, more than 6000 members were registered. According to its statutes, the party has two chairpersons with equal rights.
In 2019, shortly before the European elections, the party was forced to change its name from "The Greens" to "Green Movement" because of a decision by Bulgaria's Supreme Court of Cassation which stated that another party had a right to the name. The leadership of Green Movement commented for the media: "Unfortunately, the pressure on us comes literally on the eve of the upcoming elections to the European Parliament, and at a time when the Greens, as part of the Democratic Bulgaria coalition, we have all chances to become a real political factor opposing the corrupt and populist status quo".https://www.mediapool.bg/zelenite-veche-se-kazvat-zeleno-dvizhenie-news292473.html, Mediapool.bg, 22.04.2019
Chairpersons As first chairpersons were elected Denica Petrova, Andrey Kovatchev and Petko Kovachev (2008). A national assembly of the party in May 2010 consisting of about 50 delegates elected a new board of chairpersons with Georg Tuparev, Daniela Bozhinova and Andrey Kovachev.
Program Green Movement see themselves as part of the network of green parties in Europe. The political program of the Greens reflects a large extent the program of the European Green Party but also includes topics specific for Bulgaria such as changes in the political system in order to overcome inherent problems of governance and democratic control.
Electoral history
National Assembly Election Votes % Seats +/– Government 2009 21,841 0.52 (#9) New 2013 26,520 0.75 (#14) 0 2014 19,990 0.61 (#11) 0 2017 101,217 2.96 (#7) 0 Apr 2021 302,280 9.31 (#5) 4 Jul 2021 345,331 12.48 (#4) 0 Nov 2021 166,968 6,28 (#6) 2 2022 186,511 7.45 (#6) 1 2023 621,069 23.54 (#2) 0 Jun 2024 9,324 0.42 (#15) 3
European Parliament Election # of seats won # of total votes % of popular vote rank Notes 2009 18,444 0.72% 10th 2014 12,547 0.56% 11th 2019 of 118,484 6.06% 5th In a coalition with Yes, Bulgaria! and Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria as Democratic Bulgaria
Save Pirin Protests
In 2018, the Greens supported the "Save Pirin" mass protests in Bulgaria against the expansion of the ski area in the Pirin National Park.https://www.dnevnik.bg/zelen/2018/01/18/3114981_petiiat_protest_v_zashtita_na_pirin_subra_hiliadi_v/, Dnevnik, 18.01.2019Reuters Reuters, 11.01.2019
References
External links
Official website of the Sofia (Sredec) local branch of Zelenite - Party Program "Bulgarian Greens Established", The Sofia Echo, 18 May 2008. Article in the Bulgarian news portal "aktualno" about the inaugural meeting of "Zelenite" (Bulgarian Greens) on 18 May 2008. Article in "news.bg" about an initiative of "Zelenite" to stop construction activities in Sofia (15 March 2008) Interview with Petko Kovachev, chairperson of "Zelenite", 4 June 2008, ipsnews. Results of the parliamentary elections in June 2009 as published on the party's website How the established parties try to get rid of their competitors for the European elections. The article (2009) analyzes the bureaucratic obstacles the Greens and other small parties in Bulgaria were facing during two election campaigns in 2009.