The presidential elections should not be presented as predetermined, and the candidates should be given the opportunity for a real debate about the future of the institution. This thesis was united by the writer Radoslav Bimbalov, part of the initiative committee for the nomination of Andrey Gyurov for president, and the leader of VMRO Krasimir Karakachanov, part of the initiative committee for the candidacy of Iliana Yotova. The two commented on the upcoming vote in the studio of “Hello, Bulgaria“.
Karakachanov said that surprises are always possible in elections, but according to him, the more important question is whether the campaign will be able to motivate more people to vote. “During the hunt and during elections, there can be all kinds of surprises. The important thing in this campaign is for people to hear the candidates and be convinced to vote“, he said.
According to him, the low voter turnout is a worrying sign of society's attitude towards the electoral process. Karakachanov gave Germany as an example, where the turnout exceeds 70%, and called for the upcoming campaign to be more positive and not to turn into another confrontation of “everyone against everyone“. “I expect more positive energy in this campaign, and not the typical one of the last 10-15 years – everyone spits on the other and no one listens to the other side“, said the leader of VMRO.
According to him, foreign policy topics will be present in the campaign, but they should not displace the main question - who will protect the interests of Bulgaria. “I have the feeling that in these elections we will be electing a president of Ukraine or Russia. "We are electing a president of Bulgaria," Karakachanov stressed.
Radoslav Bimbalov, for his part, criticized the suggestions that the outcome of the presidential elections is already predetermined. "In recent days, I have been hearing this narrative that is starting to swell - that the outcome of these elections is almost predetermined. I think this is extremely unfair," he said.
According to Bimbalov, such talk is unfair both to the voters and to the candidates themselves. According to him, they should be given the opportunity to present their views in an open debate. “We must give the candidates the opportunity to enter into an open debate, to present their theses and their vision of what the presidential institution should look like, and for Bulgarians to make a truly meaningful decision“, he said.
Bimbalov also rejected the thesis that the main choice before the country is between East and West. “Bulgarians have long made their choice where Bulgaria is located. Such a choice does not exist before us at the moment“, the writer said.
In his words, the more important question is whether the future head of state will be politically independent and will be able to act as a real corrective to the ruling party.
Karakachanov, however, pointed out that in Bulgaria's recent history there have been cases in which the president and the ruling majority came from the same political environment, without this necessarily negating the division between the institutions. “We have had all sorts of combinations over the last 35 years - Petar Stoyanov was president under Ivan Kostov, Georgi Parvanov was president under Sergei Stanishev. This did not make them dependent institutions“, he said.
The leader of VMRO emphasized that for him the main criterion for the future president is the attitude towards Bulgarian national interests. “The future president and vice president must be people with experience, balanced, calm and capable of soberly assessing the real interest of Bulgaria“, said Karakachanov.
According to him, against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine and the tension in the Middle East, the world is moving towards an increasingly dangerous global confrontation. “The question is whether in a major conflict we as a state will be able to preserve the life and health of the nation and the territorial integrity of Bulgaria“, he said.
Bimbalov pointed out that the role of the presidential institution has grown significantly in recent years and can no longer be considered primarily ceremonial.
According to him, this is precisely why the presidential institution should be entrusted to a person whom society can trust not only as a representative person, but also in decision-making.
The two guests also entered into an argument over how the Bulgarian national interest should be defined. Karakachanov defined it as “survival of the Bulgarian nation and its prosperity“.
“For the past 30 years, we have been the fastest disappearing nation. We have a demographic catastrophe. "The national interest is the protection of Bulgarians in Bulgaria and those who, for historical reasons, have remained outside its borders," he said.
As other elements, he pointed out the higher standard of living, the security of citizens and preventing Bulgaria from being drawn into foreign conflicts.
Bimbalov asked Karakachanov whether the country's membership in the European Union and NATO was also part of this national interest. The VMRO leader answered in the affirmative. “I have always been in favor of Bulgaria's membership in NATO and the European Union. Europe, when united, is stronger“, said Karakachanov, but criticized the way in which, in his opinion, the EU has been governed in recent years.
As one of the strongest qualities he expects from Andrey Gyurov, Bimbalov pointed out the president's ability to create a sense of security, instead of instilling fear. “The unifier of the nation must provide security. One thing he should not do is instill fear. The president must exude confidence that we are in the right place and with the right allies“, he said.
Karakachanov objected that his understanding of the head of state is that he should be “reasonable, literate and balanced“, but criticized some of the positions of the presidential couple Andrey Gyurov - Georgi Kandev.
The leader of VMRO said that he expects the future president to participate in formulating and defending a clear Bulgarian position abroad. “I expect the Bulgarian position to be formulated first in Sofia – by our politicians, and God forbid, statesmen. And when we have defined our national interest, let us defend it before everyone“, said Karakachanov.
Radoslav Bimbalov and Krasimir Karakachanov commented on how possible candidacies of “Vazrazhdane“ and GERB would change the presidential race.
Bimbalov emphasized that the pair Andrey Gyurov - Georgi Kandev is not a party candidacy and, in his opinion, the positions of the individual parties should not be the leading ones for their campaign.
He also rejected the thesis that the main criticism of Iliana Yotova is related to an alleged pro-Kremlin line.
According to him, his main concern is something else - the possible dependence of the presidential institution on the executive branch due to the long-standing political partnership between Yotova and Prime Minister Rumen Radev.
Karakachanov rejected such concerns and recalled that in recent decades, Bulgarian presidents have, to varying degrees, emancipated themselves from the political forces that promoted them.
The two also commented on GERB's still unclear strategy. According to Bimbalov, the party leader Boyko Borisov traditionally leaves his decisions for the end of the campaign. “Mr. Borisov is getting involved in the elections in overtime, if I may use his football language. Until the last moment we will not know how he will decide to react“, he said.
Karakachanov also did not rule out the possibility that GERB could support an already announced or new candidacy at the last moment. According to him, another option is for the party not to nominate its own candidate.
“Borisov does not like to lose. Do not underestimate him. It is not excluded that GERB could support some candidacy at the last moment“, said Karakachanov.
Regarding a possible strong candidate from “Vazrazhdane“, he believes that this should not change Iliyana Yotova's strategy.
According to him, the confrontation along the “Russia - Ukraine“ axis is harmful to the campaign and further divides society. He stressed that Bulgaria has already made its strategic choice through membership in NATO and the European Union.
Bimbalov also called for avoiding labels such as “yellow-skinned“ and “smart and beautiful“, because in his opinion such language deepens the division. “This division is one of the worst things we have done to ourselves. We need to elect a worthy president who will be the face of Bulgaria and a unifier of the nation,“ he said.
At the end of the conversation, Bimbalov summarized the election as a clash not between East and West, but “between modernity and retrograde“.
Karakachanov said that for him the main question is whether the presidential institution will be headed by people “with experience, competent, literate, balanced and capable of soberly making decisions in the interests of Bulgaria“.