First steps of the government in efforts to control high prices and in an attempt to change the rights to elect members of the Supreme Judicial Council. Days after the oath, the first resignation of a deputy minister came - Asya Pandzherova resigned due to suspicions of a conflict of interest. As expected, the regional governors in the country were also replaced yesterday, and Borisov and Peevski's security guards were dismissed.
The first actions of the government were commented on in "This Morning" journalist Ruzha Raicheva, political scientists Dr. Georgi Prodanov and Assoc. Prof. Stoycho Stoychev.
„I saw a promise quickly fulfilled. This is a promise that not only „Progressive Bulgaria“ made to its voters during the campaign, but also words that we have heard from opposition-minded parties in recent years - that they will clean up and change the model. The fact is that last week „Progressive Bulgaria“ suffered a lot of criticism for refusing to form a commission. And now, a week later, it becomes clear that they want things to happen in a different way - not so hysterically and ostentatiously with thrown and unclear facts, but with actions“, commented Ruzha Raicheva.
„Now let's see what comes next, because this is only one step. More important is what will happen in terms of changes in the judiciary, how the Supreme Judicial Council will be reformed and the prosecution service in general will be cleaned up. But this is really something that was long-awaited, which the PP&DB are now pinning on their lapels as their victory from yesterday - which is interesting how, but it is not so“, she pointed out.
“First there must be proof that there is a model. Then let's say that there are steps against it. We throw this basic premise as an indisputable truth – there is a model – and then we start fighting it, without having proof that any model existed“, commented political scientist Stoycho Stoychev.
Rather, the model of the last five years was one of weightlessness and powerlessness. If any model needs to be categorically proven, it is the lack of a majority, the lack of regular governments. And in this weak institutional environment, many speculators managed to get rich on the backs of ordinary consumers,“ he believes.
“In fact, the great success in the fight against the model will be when a sense of state presence and really strict control is instilled, especially over price speculation, which uses a variety of prerequisites to grow – be it the euro, the Gulf wars and what not. This control over prices must be felt by consumers, because ultimately the great energy of the elections on April 19 came not from overthrowing the model or from overthrowing Borisov and Peevski's security, but from something that people feel every day – the double and triple increase in the cost of living in Bulgaria since January“, commented the political scientist.
“We need to pay attention to the way in which this umbrella, let's call it, was lifted over Peevski and Borisov. On the one hand, it was wonderful that laws were not changed in view of two persons. On the other hand, it suddenly turned out that the services had no signals and that no one was afraid for their lives“, commented Dr. Georgi Prodanov.
“That is, the government has not yet said what this was due to. And whether this model was a matter of influencing the special services, whether it was a political agreement between these two individuals, or was it a real threat to their lives“, she pointed out.
“It was done in a semi-transparent manner - no one said clearly “there is a threat, there is no threat“, whether there was a threat or not. As for the change that is expected – I think it is too early to rejoice in these first steps. There are many options and many doubts that have yet to be resolved“, Prodanov believes.
According to him, the case surrounding Asya Pandzherova is the first scandal that the current rulers have been lucky to get away with.
“Literally with the excuse of conflict of interest. According to what your colleagues have said, it is about something much deeper – for influence peddling, for manipulation of orders, for manipulation of companies, which a few months ago we called with the pure word “corruption“, commented the political scientist.
In his words, this is a very seriously violated state interest.
“Suddenly she turned out to be the leader of the list. After all the applications of “Progressive Bulgaria“ - a person with a controversial past“, Prodanov noted.
“They need to be enlightened and there will be more bombs, of course. At the very least – when you bring 130 new people into parliament, you don't know how they will behave, how they will vote. They are subject to “kidnapping“ by other forces. There is no way that when appointing so many people, they will not reach out to those already present, who participated in former administrations, etc. Everyone who claims to be an expert has worked somewhere in this country and was appointed by someone“, believes Ruzha Raicheva.
”There is a lot of speculation about who will turn out to be what, but it remains to be seen. In this case, we have a reaction to the public rejection of this person – the former deputy minister. So this is a closed page. I also agree that it is too early to clap our hands and say “the model is over“. A good question is what the model is and whether it is not mainly below the surface. Because at the moment the plants that are above will be cut down, but I think that the main thing that needs to be cleaned is below the soil, in the state administration“, she further commented.
“Here we do not have a very clean and clear statement from “Progressive Bulgaria“ that they are ready to make these cuts, which are risky for them. Because they are currently above – they are trying to grow on this soil, which, however, must be uprooted“, added Raycheva.