"This is a reaction, the DPS turned out to be the most attacked party. This resembles the situation with "Rosenets", where we witnessed harsh political language and almost physical clashes," said political analyst Tsvetanka Andreeva in the program "Face to Face" on bTV in connection with the counter-protest organized by the DPS-New Beginning tonight in defense of the "Zhelyazkov" cabinet in a number of settlements in Bulgaria.
We see hatred entirely on a political basis, the desire to outwit your opponent, to have him evaporate. Obviously, this narrative leads to enormous radicalization and as the protest occurs, there is also a reaction. This is a reaction to political malice. The discourse of ethnic radicalization should not be produced for a moment. The MRF electorate carries not only an ethnic identity, but also the identity of the Bulgarian democrats. They fought the communists and carry this political memory with them. These are people with a very strong political identification. This is a political sign of radicalization, said Andreeva.
"Obviously, the tension that has been created on the streets is being transferred to politicians, but it is a reaction against the unforgiving way in which the majority has begun to make decisions that do not meet with any public support and legitimacy", pointed out political scientist Teodor Slavev.
He added that in connection with the ban on the counter-protest in Botevgrad, it is important to remember that everyone has the right to protest.
This counter-protest has many aspects – It is a remake of the counter-protest on Orlov Most in 2013. It ended with the "night of the white bus". I hope it doesn't turn into violence, but looking at the reactions, tomorrow's protest looks set to be even more massive. Let's call for protesting within the law, without violence, Slavev noted.
Since 1990, there have been no preconditions for ethnic tension in Bulgaria. Bulgaria has been held up as an example of coexistence of different ethnicities. In this sense, it is extremely unpleasant to hear political statements about such tension from the political leader who drives an armored car for 2 million leva. It is possible that the counter-protest will show some strength in terms of the organization of people, but the protest was waving flags of the European Union, and a synonym for the European Union is tolerance - in no way can we say that the protesters are playing with any ethnic tension, the political analyst emphasized.
The two also commented on the vandalism committed by the provocateurs of the protest on December 1.
Behind these barbarians stands an organization that aims for radicalization in Bulgarian politics. This radicalization aims to create a lot of fear, it serves the emergence of populism. The worst-case scenario is that this protest ends up as a populist wave or leads to the predominance of Eurosceptic forces in our country. If we add Euroscepticism to a populist wave, this could lead to a reversal of Bulgaria's direction. The president is the political player of the protest, the goal is for him to appear as the "strong hand", said Tsvetanka Andreeva.
The president has the right to such a political position – to support the protest. Otherwise, at all the protests around us – both in Greece and in Serbia, there is the appearance of agitators and ultras. The essential problem here is the complete failure of the Ministry of Internal Affairs to deal with these agitators. The police reaction was very inadequate, said Teodor Slavev.