Lyutvi Mestan
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 | December 24, 1960 Chorbadzhiysko, Bulgaria |
| Political party | Bulgarian Communist Party (before 1990) Union of Democratic Forces (2016–present) |
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. He has been the Member of Parliament for Kardzhali. 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. 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.