Is the change continuing… As we heard the only leader of the PP, Asen Vassilev, say after the meeting of the National World of the party. “We continue the change“ is experiencing a crisis after a recording of a conversation between the deputy mayor of Sofia Barbutov and the mayor of "Lyulin" Georgi Todoriv, in which corruption was discussed, was leaked. What is the opposition in parliament now… Political scientist Kaloyan Metodiev speaks to FACTI.
- Mr. Metodiev, how do you view what is happening in “We continue the change“. Mayors of metropolitan areas have left, municipal councilors too, and Kiril Petkov resigned. What's next?
- These are damage minimization, crisis PR, explanations, a process of disintegration. In general, this is the algorithm of what is happening. But no matter how many attempts are made to get out of the swamp - there is no one to give you a hand. Your voters are running away, your party members are leaving in disgust, your mayors and municipal councilors are soaking you (regardless of right or wrong), you have no allies because you have lied or played tricks on everyone along the way over the years... It is very bad in politics to have no experience, to think that you are self-sufficient and that the story begins with you. And to cross red lines.
- It turns out that the PP has 6% of public procurement, and not like GERB at 20%. And it is all in the name of the party, so that there is money for elections. Is that how it is done politics?
- For some it is. But fighting the mafia by becoming a mafia member does not make you any different from a mafia member. And in this particular case, to want to be like Boyko Borisov and Peevski, to do politics like them, you must also have the corresponding qualities and attitudes towards life. For me, incompatible with morality and virtues. And when I think about how they sold the brand - young, untainted, coming from abroad. The PP only lowered the percentage of bribes and strengthened the behind-the-scenes state.
- In what percentages then should we measure people's patience that something will change in Bulgaria?
- The patience of Bulgarian citizens is a quantity that requires large-scale scientific research. I am more concerned about the lack of critical thinking, the lack of solidarity, dignity, collective action on public issues, social passivity in elections. Disobedience is not enough either.
- „We continue "change" was born as a leading party with two co-chairs. And now it has only one - Assen Vassilev, after Kiril Petkov withdrew. But what future does such a formation have?
- What about the clientele from the UDF, BSP, ITN... Whoever was in a coalition with Borisov and Peevski is paying the price. They were in the lap. Period. Profiled, studied, with their weak points and dependencies, baits were thrown to them, unreliable now. Kiril Petkov at least "jumped" to them, while Assen Vassilev has neither the energy nor the charisma for such an action. Their problems started after they declared themselves in some doomed format for a common "democratic" candidacy for the presidential elections. The presidential vote next year is key and the entire backstage is headed that way.
- PP and DB as a coalition how much longer will exists?
- De jure maybe until the next elections. De facto they are no longer a coalition. The DB is publicly criticizing the PP for their personnel policy, they voted indiscriminately for the regulators. The PP expelled two MPs, and the DB did not agree to remove them from the parliamentary group. In Sofia, they quarreled over appointments. Very loose work. There is no unity of command, no order.
- After the scandals in the PP, what does the opposition in parliament look like. We heard threats of no-confidence votes…
- Here we enter the field of philosophy, because political science is powerless. What is opposition in Bulgarian? Soon, the mandate holder Boyko Borisov explained that without Peevski there is no government. The latter is an opposition, but he ordered all the regulators, commissions, special services, ordered ministers what to do, adopted a budget and supports the government. The PP-DB are in a serious crisis. I remind you that they They elected the scandalous Kiselova and to this day they do not demand her resignation. They are strengthening her. The opposition in a normal country does not vote for the speaker of the National Assembly, the government and the budget. "Vazrazhdane", "Velichie" and Mech are giving signals that they are starting to work together. They are introducing a general vote of no confidence, but in the way of introducing it and the topic they are serving the government. Otherwise, "Vazrazhdane" is the extremist wing of GERB for beatings, spitting, crushing, votes. Until two months ago, the APS were in a ruling coalition, in which they were finished off through the "opposition" of the other MPS. Now they are quieter than water, and an opposition should be vocal. So, drawing the line, I return to the philosophical question again: what is opposition in our country and is there a global analogue. I am not even putting it up for discussion for a European one.
- What alternative is left for the people if they soon “serve” us new elections?
- There is always an alternative. And what is an alternative – a choice between two possible solutions that are mutually exclusive. The problem is the state being invaded, the backstage, the last place in all indicators in the EU. This is the Borisov model, which allowed the MRF to create its own parallel state. Everyone who has not betrayed, sold out and entered into collaboration with this model is an alternative. It seems that only Kornelia Ninova remained from the galaxy that fought the model from the squares in 2020. The rest embraced it - Radev (through the official cabinets, regrouped now with Borisov, now with Peevski), as coalition “partners“ BSP, ITN, PP-DB … Currently, the alternative is extra-parliamentary. This parliament is the most disgusting I have seen in 30 years of following politics – and as a product, as individuals, as relationships.
- 4 years ago, the PP was born as something new that would fight the status quo. We saw the arrest of Boyko Borisov, and now 6% of public procurement. Which, in fact, is the status quo…
- As they arrested him, so they sat on his lap. Arch-treason to his voters. And they thought he would forgive them. He also ends them in the Sofia Municipal Council. Borisov is the status quo. The curse for Bulgaria. He personally crushed everything in the state. Destruction of parties, people, businesses, non-working institutions, anti-selection, last places in quality of life, simplification of entire generations. He has sat at the center of politics, using human weaknesses and addictions to attract venal and dependent people, parties, groups and to subjugate them, suck them out, destroy them, compromise them, etc. Peevski has finished with his internal problems in the DPS. And since they are a tandem with Borisov, who, however, is kicking himself through the proxy, it will be interesting to follow what will happen between the two of them. I remind you of the saga with the Minister of Internal Affairs.
- PP and ITN were born on the basis of anti-GERB rhetoric, and now what are we observing. ITN is a partner of GERB in the “Zhelyazkov“ cabinet, and PP is shaken by scandals related to their taboo topic - corruption…
- Politics is not for the weak. It is not for the venal. PP and ITN basely lied to huge masses of voters. Two electoral waves were wasted. Radev is to blame for both. It was Radev who crushed Kornelia Ninova behind the scenes, who was the real alternative to Borisov. In 2020, he supported the creation of the ITN (they secretly came to the presidency), officially called for a vote for them. They slipped away for a year and in 2021 he made a “We continue the change“ from the official cabinet, provided them with logistics, violated the constitution. Let the voters think. Enough with shopping by packaging. This is the most direct way to lie to them and use them. Let them choose by content.
- Where is the fight against the model of the conquered state or did the conquered state simply win…
- Nothing has won. Politics is a linear process, it has no end. Crises are cyclical. The situation in our country is not normal in terms of results – beatings and violence among the young, proven election fraud by the ruling party, nursing homes for the elderly (Bulgaria is a terrible place to grow old), low incomes, speculation, many crumbling cities and ghost villages, negative rankings, dysfunctional institutions, a sharp decline in foreign investment and industrial production, toxic air, scumbags in politics mired in privileges... If all this is not a reason for change - cheers! The fight continues. Be rebellious.