An activist for Delian Peevski, who has been sanctioned for corruption by the US and the UK, is turning Christmas into a celebration of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) in the largest village in Kaolinovo, Todor Ikonomovo.
Bedrie Nazif, chairwoman of the women’s association of “New Beginning” in the municipality of Kaolinovo, organized a village-wide Christmas celebration on December 18 in line with the DPS and “under the patronage of Mr. Delian Peevski,” as stated in the invitation to the event.
In addition to being a party functionary for Peevski, Nazif is the long-time director of the kindergarten in Todor Ikonomovo, head of the local community center, and last but not least, the wife of one of the most powerful men in the municipality, the chairman of the local parliament, Zia Nazif.
The Nazif family is extremely close to the municipal mayor, Nida Ahmedov, according to local residents. Ahmedov, for his part, appoints the directors of kindergartens in the municipality, and in the case of Bedriye Nazif, he is not only her long-time employer but also her party leader in his capacity as deputy chairman of Peevski’s party.
In addition to turning the Christmas celebration in Todor Ikonomovo into a political initiative of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF), Bedriye Nazif scandalously included the kindergarten she directs in the party-colored event. Even more shocking is that the kindergarten will attend the event with an initiative financed by European funds, i.e., a European project is directly involved in a political event, which is absolutely unacceptable.
Not according to Bedriye Nazif.
The community center and kindergarten as “crutches” for the DPS
The local community center “Stefan Karadzha” and the kindergarten in Todor Ikonomovo have been placed in the role of “crutches” for the DPS in the organization of the community Christmas celebration. The announcement for the event prominently states that the organizer is “the women’s association of the DPS in the municipality of Kaolinovo, under the patronage of Mr. Delian Peevski, chairman of the DPS.”
The program includes four “wonderful Christmas initiatives”: a charity bazaar with a hot lunch and homemade sweets, a workshop for making surva sticks with children from the “Happy Childhood” kindergarten as part of the “Strong Start” project, a community Christmas dance with the “Stefan Karadzha” community center, and visits to lonely elderly people.
We asked Bedriye Nazif why, contrary to all logic, the village Christmas celebration was not organized by the local community center, of which she is the chairperson, but was held as a party event by the DPS and Peevski.
“Because I am organizing it in my capacity as chairwoman of the DPS women’s association, and the kindergarten and community center are just joining in with something (to the organization),” Nazif replied, indignant that a journalist from Za Istinata was asking her for an explanation of the event.
“In what capacity are you questioning me?” Nazif asked angrily and arrogantly commented that “since you have complaints, I will call on you to write the script for the next holiday (March 8)!”
When asked why she had ignored the community center, which is a public, non-political organization and it is logical that it should bring people together for the holiday, Bedriye Nazif said: “Why should the community center do it? The community center organizes banquets for women (on March 8).” Thus, Peevski’s activist reduced the role of the community center to that of a banquet hall and explained: “I am not involved in community center activities at the moment! They (the community center) are just joining in with something. Just like the kindergarten teachers with their carolers and workshops for making surva sticks, which they did as part of a project.”
When asked why she believes that such a community celebration, especially one associated with Christmas, should be a party event, Nazif was categorical: Because I organize it! As it happens, I am organizing it as chairwoman of the DPS Women’s Organization, as director of the kindergarten, and as chairwoman of the community center. She again indignantly commented that journalists cannot “make claims” against her organization.
“I don’t see anything wrong with my scenario. I’ve been organizing these events for 30 years!” Nazif declared.
She then added that the celebration in Todor Ikonomovo was organized as part of the national campaign “Faith and Family,” for which “we’ve been organizing events for a year.” When asked what this campaign was, the DPS activist replied that it was “a national campaign by Mr. Delian Peevski.”
When asked directly why she was subordinating the village-wide Christmas celebration to politics and the DPS, Nazif stated emphatically:
“If you don’t like it, I’m not forcing anyone (to come)!”
After a few more questions, the DPS activist stated that the community center could not organize the celebration because it did not have “enough annual support.” However, Nazif categorically refused to disclose the annual budget of the community center in Todor Ikonomovo, even though this is public information and, as chairwoman, she cannot conceal it. “Yes, I refuse to say!” Nazif was adamant.
Scandal with the children and the EU project
Nazif is accountable to the board for the community center, if anyone from the village dares to ask her for explanations, but she may have to give more serious explanations for involving the kindergarten in the party organization of the celebration.
It is unacceptable to use kindergartens and schools in any political events, even if this is presented as “supportive participation,” as Peevski’s activist says. It is even more unacceptable to use European projects for children in party events, as in the case of the “Strong Start” project.
This is a project to support personal development in preschool education, and about 90% of kindergartens in the country are included in it. Its total budget is BGN 140,538,769, of which BGN 115,943,148 comes from the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), according to the website of the Ministry of Education and Science (MES), which is the beneficiary of the project. The MES states that “the project will be implemented as part of an operation of strategic importance and aims to unlock the potential of children in pre-school education by supporting their personal development with a view to more successful social integration.”
