Bulgaria is once again facing a severe institutional and social crisis. This was stated on BTV by communications expert and former MP Arman Babikyan and political communications lecturer Prof. Rosen Stoyanov. The two commented on the arrest of the mayor of Varna and the widespread suspicions of politically motivated actions by the judicial system.
"In Bulgaria, "justice" has once again started working in favor of the stronger. People realized that they did not actually win this freedom for which they protested five years ago," emphasized Babikyan, quoted by news.bg. He recalled that such a public reaction was absent in the case of Desislava Ivancheva and warned that civil society should not remain silent when the injustice does not affect it personally.
Prof. Stoyanov, for his part, defined the situation as "the beginning of the end of the transition" and predicted a radical change in the political elites. He warned of a serious erosion of trust in institutions: "The crisis of trust in the court, the prosecutor's office and the executive branch threatens the civil contract and the foundations of democracy."
The discussion was prompted by the case of the mayor of Varna, who was left in custody despite the lack of evidence that he had asked for a bribe. The main witness, Deputy Mayor Dian Ivanov, publicly retracted his testimony, stating that it had been given under pressure from the anti-corruption commission. The prosecutor's office has not yet come up with a position.
"If the government forced a person to give false testimony, this is a direct abuse of institutions. In such a country, the law is not for everyone, but only for the strong," said Babikyan. He compared the situation to dark historical examples of oppression through fear, emphasizing that the "terrible court" is now being used as a tool by politicians, not by God.
The two analysts also commented on the reaction of the international community. Babikyan supported the presence of the German ambassador at the protests, and Stoyanov pointed out that such actions should be interpreted carefully, as they can cause additional tension.
In conclusion, Arman Babikyan stated that fate is not what will happen to us. Fate is what we will make of ourselves. Everything is in the hands of the people - both those in front of the TV and those on the streets, he explained.