Lyutvi Mestan | |
---|---|
Leader of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms | |
In office 19 January 2013 – 24 December 2015 | |
Preceded by | Ahmed Dogan |
Succeeded by | Mustafa Karadayi |
Personal details | |
Born | Chorbadzhiysko, Bulgaria | December 24, 1960
Political party | Bulgarian Communist Party (before 1990)[citation needed] Union of Democratic Forces (2016–present)[citation needed] |
Lyutvi Ahmed Mestan (Bulgarian: Лютви Ахмед Местан, Turkish: Lütfi Ahmet Mestan) (born 24 December 1960) is a Bulgarian politician of Turkish-Bulgarian origin. He was chairman of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms from January 2013 to 24 December 2015.[2] He has been the Member of Parliament for Kardzhali.[3] He was removed as party leader by the DPS central council and expelled from the party for what it considered an excessively pro-Turkish government stance following the downing of a Russian bomber jet by the Turkish Air Force.[1] He subsequently founded a new political force, DOST, acronym of Democrats for Responsibility, Solidarity and Tolerance in Bulgarian, and a double entendre also signifying friend in Turkish. The party is based on pro-EU, pro-NATO and liberal opinions.[4]