On the eve of the next elections and against the backdrop of increasing social tensions, the topic of the governance model and the alternatives facing Bulgaria is once again coming to the fore. Is there a vision of a “moral alternative“ in politics… Cornelia Ninova, leader of “Rebellious Bulgaria“, speaks to FACT.
- Ms. Ninova, you claim that the future of Bulgaria lies in “liquidating the Borisov-Peevski model“. You were part of a political system for many years and what did you actually do to change it?
- In all these years, I have remained the only one that the model “Borisov-Peevski“ could not buy or break. I boldly brought out all the facts about corruption. I introduced alternative laws. Since 2020, I have been at all the protests against the mafia-styled state by Borisov and Peevski. Everyone surrendered.
The raised fist went back to the presidency and never came to the squares with the young and rebellious people again.
Some made a pact. Others sat on the lap. Whoever hugged Borisov is finished. I remained principled, consistent. Yes, I suffered from this model, but I preserved my dignity - mine and that of the people to whom I promised never to betray them. Whatever I say, that is what I do.
- You criticize Rumen Radev for “taking back his fist“ and missing a historical moment for change. What change do you see in Rumen Radev? You made him president, as the leader of the BSP, and now he is your opponent as a politician. Is this a life evolution or is power enjoying itself…
- Ingratitude, exploitation and forgetting where you came from is not a life evolution. This is a lack of morality. Power corrupts if you are not firmly on the ground.
Radev has been governing for almost 3 years with official cabinets. What has changed for the better for Bulgaria and the people?
Nothing. Radev is not new, he is not a change - he is a replacement. Everyone will understand this in a painful way. But it will be a waste of valuable time for the state and the people.
- You created “Unruly Bulgaria“ as a “moral alternative“ in the center-left space – What exactly is different, besides the new name and the same faces around you?
- You are wrong. Yes, the name is new, but the faces are mostly new too. Our essence is encoded in the name. We are rebellious in the face of any injustice. It is unfair for companies close to every power to triple the prices of public procurement. This is the money of working people. They return bribes to those in power. This is how they cement the model. And in the meantime, small and medium-sized businesses are languishing from pressure, racketeering, and bureaucracy. It is unfair to pay your health insurance all your life and once you go to the hospital, they tear you off ten extra skins. It is unfair for intellectuals and cultural figures to be miserable, and for vulgarity and primitivism to be rampant. It is unfair for speculators to inflate prices, and for the control authorities to shrug their shoulders and say: we are monitoring the situation. When I hear this sentence, I am overcome with such anger. It is unfair for all kinds of criminals to be protected by corrupt prosecutors, etc. We must be rebellious to all this. Our party has many new members. Most of them have never participated in politics or other parties. The young people who returned from abroad and chose us are impressive. They studied, worked there, but they return and want to live in their homeland. We have several representatives of the protesting young doctors, with whom we were together in the square.
- You say that people seeking power and positions gather around Radev - isn't that a universal description of every party in Bulgaria?
- Unfortunately, it is so, and it shouldn't be. The so-called "ladybugs" have taken over the parties. The corruption is shocking. Relatives, sons, daughters, who have stolen public contracts. They don't care about conflict of interest. They feel untouchable. We - the rebellious, we are different. We arranged our lists differently. We know the problems - we are looking for honest professionals to solve them. There is a problem in road construction - we invite road engineers. For the ailing healthcare, we have doctors, paramedics, emergency personnel. There is a problem in agriculture - we include agricultural producers. We value spirituality and culture - we have their representatives as leaders. Of course, quite a few lawyers, because in parliament quality laws should be written, not cursed and fought.
- You criticize the “model“ and talk about corruption. As Deputy Prime Minister and Minister, what real anti-corruption policies did you impose that would yield results?
- Result is the key word. First, I stopped all leaks from state-owned enterprises. Result - they made a profit, paid back their loans and increased their salaries. Second, I terminated all corruption contracts. I will tell you just one case. They had prepared over 40 contracts for concessions on state-owned dams for me. You don't think that the concessionaires were random, do you? Of course, I didn't sign a single one. And of course, such sloppiness poured over my head that I couldn't recognize myself. Third, I demanded a complete audit of the state money spent. A report by the National Audit Office revealed the great theft from repairs to dams and the water supply system in Pernik. I sent them to the prosecutor's office. Of course, they covered it up there. I see now how brazenly Borisov walks around the country, in Pernik, and boasts about what has been done. Nothing has been done. There has been theft and there is impunity. The fourth thing I did is that I removed all racketeering and pressure on companies. I started an anti-bureaucratic revolution to reduce regulatory and licensing regimes, especially on small and medium-sized businesses. They are the circulatory system of the economy. I could not finish it because Borisov, Peevski, Radev and Slavi overthrew the government. And fifth - I eliminated privileges. I forbade the political cabinet from receiving bonuses and additional material incentives. I reduced the boards of state-owned enterprises to a minimum. They were turned into party and family feeders.
After me, Radev's official cabinet returned them to the maximum number of members.
I gave up a car and a driver for the NSO. Several times I have introduced a law to reduce and freeze the salaries of MPs and ministers. In principle, I have always been against privileges.
- In your recent statements, there is a strong emphasis on morality and “disobedience“. Who do you expect morality from, because the people showed their “disobedience” in December, when we witnessed huge protests?
- I expect the disobedient people, with whom we were together at these protests, to vote for politicians with morality. We - from “Disobedient Bulgaria”, have proven that we never betray those who trust us. We have been tempered in many battles. To vote for something safe and proven. We are like that.
- Why won't we see a leadership debate now among the main parties that will be in parliament. Rumen Radev against Boyko Borisov and Delyan Peevski would be more than interesting…
- Because they are cowards. Because they are manipulators. They want to deceive as many people as possible with divergent messages. And last but not least, because they don't want a direct confrontation. They leave themselves a loophole to embrace after the elections in yet another unprincipled assembly. Supposedly in the name of Bulgaria, but in fact for their own pockets.
- You talk about other parties and dependence on external factors, but how will you convince people that your policy is completely independent and does not follow foreign geopolitical interests?
- Only with deeds. Don't listen to beautiful promises and clichés. Look at the deeds. We - the rebellious, have proven with deeds that the Bulgarian interest comes first. I stood up in defense of children and families in the most difficult years, against the greatest external forces, when the pressure for the Istanbul Convention was terrible. I made many big enemies, but I protected Bulgarian children. I was against the sanctions against Russia, because they are harmful to the Bulgarian economy, but when President Putin said that the case of the brothers Cyril and Methodius comes from Macedonian lands, I expressed categorical disagreement. As Deputy Prime Minister, I refused to lead a delegation to Macedonia because Pendarovski spoke about the Macedonian minority in Bulgaria. Then we had a very sharp argument in the Council of Ministers, but I did not back down and stated categorically that I would not go to a country where Bulgarian dignity was not respected. We did not support Borisov and Radev buying F-16 aircraft. We are a member of the EU. This is our family. But we are not a second-hand people. We are equal. Our national interest must be defended before our partners - both in the East and in the West. We are a proud people, with dignity and it must be defended. We need politicians with character. I do not like a bent back and a salesman's policy.
- We adopted the euro, prices rose, the war in Iran “hit“ heavily on fuel as a price. How is the state doing, what should people expect or should we just wait for things to return to normal…
- We were for a referendum on the adoption of the euro. On such key issues for our lives, the people should have a say. Now the government is doing a bad job. The deputies are criminally irresponsible. With what eyes do they go to seek trust from the people again, when they haven't done a single job. They should have reduced the excise duty and VAT on fuels a long time ago. A temporary ceiling on markups and profits was needed, and reserves were released. The government is a complete failure in the fight against speculation. Almost all of Europe took measures. Our domestic production, Bulgarian food must be protected. Small and medium-sized businesses, the middle class should have been put under a protective helmet. We have a specific plan on how to do this. We believe that if the people support us, we can cope. We have managed successfully in crises and the results prove it.