Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria () is a political party in Bulgaria established by former Bulgarian Prime Minister Ivan Kostov (1997–2001). History Kostov resigned as chairman of the United Democratic Forces after a painful election defeat in June 2001 to Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha's newly established National Movement for Simeon II. The UDF had suffered heavily from allegations of corruption and increased unemployment after having carried out economic reforms during its four-year term. With time 29 (out of 51) UDF MPs including Kostov grew increasingly dissatisfied with the new UDF leadership of chairwoman Nadezhda Mihailova, who was the foreign minister in Kostov's own government. Following another defeat for the UDF in the 2003 local elections and after Nadezhda Mihailova's refusal to bear the responsibility and resign, the group of 29 around Kostov announced their departure from the UDF and the formation of a new political force, the DSB. DSB is a member of the European People's Party (EPP). On 30 March 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, the Sofia City Council members from Democratic Bulgaria, a coalition Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria is part of, proposed a package of measures in defense of local economy. Those included ten-fold tax cut for landlords for leasing an apartment, rent-free period for businesses renting municipal property for the duration of the national emergency, and reorganization of Sofia public transport in view of the reduced passenger flow. Leaders It was chaired by Ivan Kostov since its establishment in May 2004 until June 2013. He resigned after failing to reach the 4% electoral threshold in the 2013 election. The party was chaired by Radan Kanev, until his resignation following the 2017 election. Since then it has been chaired by Atanas Atanasov. • Ivan Kostov (2004 - 2013) • Radan Kanev (2013 - 2017) • Atanas Atanasov (2017 - Electoral results Statistics Program The DSB define themselves as a moderately conservative, but also nationally oriented party. They regard themselves as successors of the ruling mandate of the United Democratic Forces (1997–2001) and promise to stand up for its achievements and build on them. The party stands for a new structure, composition and organization of the constitutional powers in Bulgaria through the adoption of a new Constitution. They propose a decrease in overall taxes, the creation of an investor-friendly tax and insurance environment and tax and insurance incentives to small and medium-sized enterprises and to companies that