Paulina SHISHKOVA
DPS appeared after the intra-palace coup in Bulgaria on 10.11. 1989. Far-sighted people created it as a movement that was supposed to unite in one organizational structure Bulgarian citizens of Turkish origin who were rejected by the official Bulgarian authorities and saw the only protection in mother Turkey.
Under socialism, they were not perceived as our people and felt marginalized. These were hardworking, honest Bulgarian citizens, but frightened by the socialist power, who had no opportunity to implement themselves in it. In DPS, these people saw a lifeline. There they met their kindred spirits and, united in it, raised their self-esteem.
In DPS they saw the party that protected them. That is why they voted for her in the elections en masse and willingly. The Bulgarians, who in the summer of 1989 left Bulgaria en masse to move to Turkey, joined the electoral body of the DPS. Some of them returned, and others stayed, but they always voted en masse in Turkey for DPS, because they saw in it their party, their people. For color, the party also included Bulgarians by origin, who devotedly served it.
So more than 30 and some years have passed. The DPS was always in the parliament and participated, without showing off, through proxies – mostly Bulgarians, in power.
One of them is Delyan Peevski. Bulgarian by origin, without direct or silver line ties, by matchmaking with Bulgarian Turks, he was successfully and wholeheartedly co-opted into the DPS and served the party. It is known that for many years Peevski was only mentioned by the media, and in a not particularly positive light, but no one saw him in the parliament, where he was always elected as a deputy. This person did not give any interview, did not participate in discussions, in a word, was “elected“ in his behavior. Thus, Peevski was surrounded by mystery, fog, rumors, but ordinary people did not know anything specific about him.
When the Americans labeled him with the Magnitsky sanction, no one was surprised or outraged, because in our country this man had already been given a bad label. No one wanted anything to do with him. And then Dr. Dogan made an unexpected decision – to put the sanctioned Peevski at the head of the party, to put him in the center of the National Assembly and open the horizon for him to act actively. Peevski, who until then had been preparing to become a leader, as his mother claimed in the media, went on a rampage. We saw a very active, constantly speaking person from the front row in the parliament or from the sidelines.
For a year during the 49 – this parliament Peevski was the central parliamentary figure. He vigorously defended Ukraine and Euro-Atlantic values, took decisions and spoke up when other powers remained silent or hesitated. It was as if the magnetization had irradiated him with energy that he could no longer contain. He set the tone for the DPS to vote, as the progressive, democratic and pro-Western forces should vote. He continuously proved himself as the strongest Euro-Atlantic player and overshadowed both Kiril Petkov and Boyko Borisov.
The majority in the parliament was satisfied. But the political volcanism that Peevski demonstrated in the National Assembly must have upset Ahmed Dogan and some of the old guns in the DPS. Dogan sensed the danger that the overactive Peevski could cause and therefore decided to extinguish him by appointing the proven cadre Jevdet Chakarov as the second chairman of the party. This fact did not disturb Peevski, who sarcastically and aggressively slammed the PP-DB and blamed on them all the shortcomings of the assembly, in which the DPS did not participate, but which could not exist without the DPS. Peevski's natural affection for GERB and its leader was particularly visible. Sparks of sincere sympathy flared up between them. It seems that this did not go down well with Dogan and his supporters.
There is also something else. Everyone got the impression that GERB cooperated (at least at first sight) with DPS. GERB did not want to manage only with DPS, but wanted to receive a second fig leaf from DB, and in the last resort, from PPDB. To the outside world, of course. And so that after the failure of the management there is someone to put the negatives on. DPS held onto the concept – always with GERB, but without participation with it in the management of Bulgaria. DPS turned out to be a smarter party than NDSV, Karakachanov's patriots and PPDB and did not want to be anathema. They have always stood in the back, not rotting in the front rows. And now the old members of DPS have decided that GERB will not govern, so they wisely did not vote for him. Thus they demonstrated independence from GERB and left the door open for other parties.
Voting for GERB Peevski made a mistake, May. But I'm not quite sure. Perhaps in this situation, by dividing the votes “for“ and “against”, DPS decided to leave two doors open, not knowing what future awaits Bulgaria. Now he listens. Allegedly, some members have been expelled from the parliamentary group, others have been summoned for a conversation.... In my opinion, all this is apparent. DPS is a unified party in which different people play different roles, perhaps to deceive the opponent. She must remain united so that her electorate is not confused – the most important element in this party.
Because here in Bulgaria there has never been such a human unity, such a quality material in the electoral sense, as is behind the DPS. No one is interested in his loss – neither the Turks, nor the forces that created and stand and guide the DPS, neither Dogan, nor Peevski. The latter may be born to be a leader, but without Dogan he will be left alone and will have to look for a berth in another party. However, it seems to me that he is smart enough not to make this mistake.
That is why I consider the problem in DPS solved. By removal. Not Peevski, however, but the problem. And there will be silence again...