The topics of the election campaign are how we will fight corruption and how we stay on the European track. The other topics, such as shale gas and a Romanian scenario ala Jodrezku, are smoke and fear-mongering. This was the thesis of the co-chair of "Yes, Bulgaria" Bozhidar Bozhanov in an interview for the program "Speak Now" on BNT.
“We are predictable, consistent on the issues of the fight against corruption and Bulgaria's European positioning. Whether the other political forces will recognize them - we expect answers, but we have not received any so far”, said Bozhanov. And he stressed that during the election campaign too many slogans are being waved, and no one, unlike the PP-DB, says how promises will be fulfilled in detail. “You can't do it with slogans alone, the devil is always in the details and without them the conquered state becomes stronger. The anti-corruption program of “Yes, Bulgaria” is over 50 pages, it contains measures on how not to leave a stone upon a stone of the conquered state,” said the party leader.
He is categorical that the election of a new Supreme Judicial Council must be carried out according to new rules, but this is far from the only step towards freeing the judicial system from dependencies. And he reminded that the new Law on the Judiciary proposed by the PP-DB provides for a much wider range of nominees for members of the SJC - including from renowned universities, as well as for additional checks to be carried out on candidates against the risk of being hacked.
“So that they do not end up like the current members of the SJC, and like Borislav Sarafov, for whom it does not matter what the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court of Cassation say regarding his expired mandate, but what Peevski's bunker says”, said Bozhidar Bozhanov.
When asked whether and how a government would be formed after the elections, he reminded of the experience of “Democratic Bulgaria” from negotiations with the previous rulers, when the PP-DB priorities were not accepted and therefore the coalition remained in opposition in the current parliament. “The formation of governing majorities must be approached very responsibly, going into details. In European countries, government negotiations take months because priorities are being negotiated. Voters are right in their suspicions of all parties that the negotiations are about parliament - let's make it clear that we will govern together, and then we will see what we will do.
When you cannot find support for your priorities on both axes - the anti-corruption and the pro-European, the answer is clear”, said the party leader. And he added that according to the constitution, the caretaker government of Andrey Gyurov operates all the time until a ruling majority is formed, which, according to him, is doing quite well.
Bojanov rejected public suggestions of hybrid interference in the Bulgarian elections and called on party leaders not to play with them. “There are certain fluctuations in social networks, but I do not see large-scale interference, there is no reason for a Romanian scenario ala Giorzescu. And the activation of the European Commission mechanism is a preventive measure, in which there is nothing unusual or strange, we must be prepared. The decision for the next parliament will be made by the people who vote”, said the party leader. And he stressed that instilling such fears cannot replace taking a clear position on key political issues, referring to “Progressive
Bulgaria”
“There is no shale gas topic for the moment. It was introduced by GERB as a smokescreen to gather tension, as well as the topic of social networks, which Borisov also got on board. The topics of the campaign are how we will fight corruption and how we stay on the European track”, said Bozhidar Bozhanov.
On the eve of the elections in Hungary, the co-chairman of “Yes, Bulgaria” pointed out that under Viktor Orban's rule, the country has lagged far behind in development and is even behind Bulgaria in some statistical indicators. "Let anyone who thinks he could be the Bulgarian Orban see what is happening to Orban," he warned.
According to Bozhidar Bozhanov, if there is a majority in parliament to stop the biggest corruption faucets, there will be money to counteract the rise in prices. And the current budget deficit is due to inflated expenses for such projects. He believes that the caretaker cabinet should prepare the main parameters for a state budget in order to support the next regular government to introduce it. But this budget should not repeat the mistakes that brought down the last government - not to provide for tax increases, corruption expenses hidden, for example, through the BDB. “It was clearly said in the squares - you will not steal our future through tax increases and corruption coffers. And this should be reflected in the next budget”, said the party leader.
He urged voters to vote with number 7 on the ballot for PP-DB - “for a very clear plan to fight corruption and a conquered state and for a guarantee that Bulgaria will not be diverted from its European path”.