Jean Videnov himself was also proposed as a new member, but he declined and suggested Krasimir Premyanov instead. The other Videnov supporters were proposed by regular higher party council members, where apparently Videnov mastered a majority.
Meanwhile, the opposition organized a demonstration outside the BSP headquarters. The demonstrators (estimated at over 10,000) stoned the building breaking some windows, and also threw eggs and firecrackers, beat pans, blew whistles, and rattled drink cans filled with virtually worthless coins to protest the poor economic conditions in the country.
Ivan Kostov, the leader of the largest opposition formation UDF, said in a speech that the opposition will use the "street pressure" to make BSP accept their demands for early parliamentary elections in March. These demands are included in the opposition's "salvation declaration" along with a proposal to change the present central bank board and to elect a new temporary non-partisan government before the introduction of the IMF-proposed currency board regime. The declaration also insists that representatives of the parliamentary opposition be included in the talks with the IMF and the World Bank.
The opposition's declaration was discussed at an extraordinary session of the parliament where the Socialists have a commanding majority. While Krasimir Premyanov, the leader of the BSP parliamentary group, said the ruling party was prepared to discuss the proposals of the opposition, it was apparent that the declaration was not acceptable to BSP MPs in its present form. The ruling majority refused to extend the session and the vote on the declaration will take place at a new extraordinary session on either January 9 or 10.
