MY POLITICAL experience goes back to the fall of communism and the struggle for democracy in my native Bulgaria.

I am married with a grown up family. My wife and I love climbing the Scottish Munros, just gone past 209 of the 282 them and have been a few times on top of the Ochil Hills as well.

I now work in a senior position in higher education where I manage student support and I am a great champion of young people with a good insight into their needs and wishes.

I am particularly proud of my contribution towards suicide prevention and designing student services that are fit to tackle the present day mental health issues of students.

Covid-19 has knocked Scotland sideways: over 7000 lost lives, leaving grieving relatives and friends.

It will take our combined efforts, ingenuity and a needle-sharp focus to recover from this.

I will take real action to support education, provide support to help our health services recover, take action on mental health for students and the general population, provide extra support to create new, future proof jobs, tackle climate change with a green recovery.

We must invest in the nation's health with funding to catch–up on delayed treatments, operations and have better access to mental health specialists in communities, hospitals and schools.

The Scottish government admits it has taken its eye of the ball. As a result illegal drug deaths have risen to an unacceptable level and prison population is at record highs. This is unacceptable in a modern civilised society.

Education reform is long overdue with falling standards and broken promises on teacher numbers.

The OECD's independent review into falling education standards, must be published in full.

Investment in education, and in our future, will ensure that every child reaches their full potential.

We ought to support small and medium size businesses and Scottish farming because these are the true backbone of our economy and only they provide the agility the economy needs in harsh times.

The Climate Emergency cannot wait – we will take action to properly insulate homes, reducing fuel bills; no one should have to choose between fuel and food. We will pave the way to develop carbon free heating for every home.

The move to green energy and clean technologies will create more jobs. Grants will allow retraining.

We need good efficient housing and living incomes, creating new future proof well paid jobs.

Scottish Liberal Democrats believe in access for everyone to suitable public transport that is environmentally friendly.

This includes investment in greener public transport with extended rail links through Alloa to Fife and integrated bus services across the region.

No one should be unable to take a job because they cannot get there.

It is time to put a decade of division behind us. Put the Recovery First. Vote Dr Iliyan Stefanov for Clackmnnanshire and Dunblane and the Scottish Liberal Democrats for the list.