There are two questions, on which GERB and Borisov are silent. One is Peevski, and the other is the kopecks from "Vazrazhdane". Silence is a signal of a hidden and indecent partnership. Comment from Daniel Smilov:
Almost no one notices that the election is approaching. And it is so, because few people know why we will vote again. Last time we voted because GERB decided that instead of PP-DB, it would be more convenient for them to manage with DPS and someone else like ITN. This plan almost came to fruition, but failed due to the split in the DPS.
Now, however, no one knows why we are going to elections and what to expect from them. It is clear that Delyan Peevski aims to take control of DPS, after VAS gave him the name and registration of this party in a friendly manner. It is known that GERB and DPS-Peevski want to be in power, or at least that no one else rules, because if someone else rules, the prosecutor-investigative umbrella over their leaders may not withstand the accumulated corruption slag. The PP-DB are going to the elections with the desire, if nothing else, to at least be a guarantee that Bulgaria will not deviate from its European path of free democracy. A noble task, but how many elections have been won with nobility in our country? "Revival" on the other hand, he is going to elections with the aim of making Bulgaria deviate from its Euro-Atlantic path in the Russian-Soviet direction. For the BSP, these are the elections of relief - Kornelia Nininova is no longer there and the party active is throwing hats in the air and opening coalition valences left and right. ITN is listening and is preparing to demand even more power and resources in exchange for support for the government. After the last elections, their gluttony seemed to startle even Delyan Peevski, who immediately found their deputies in a possible management format - and great deputies.
The meaning of the elections and the two issues on which Borisov is silent
If it has to be summarized, there is a coalition that works for the state interest, there is also a party that works openly against it, and the rest mostly work for themselves. With such material, it will be difficult to manage in the common interest. Instead, it will most likely be a coalition of GERB, DPS-Peevski, BSP and ITN (or some substitutes). "Revival" is being used as a scarecrow so that some strange coalition can sell itself as the Euro-Atlantic saviour. The scarecrow will also be used to put pressure on the PP-DB to eventually join the government.
There are two issues on which GERB and Borisov are silent. One is Peevski, and the other is the kopecks from "Vazrazhdane". Silence is a signal of a hidden and indecent partnership. With some very unfortunate distribution of the international cards - Donald Trump is back in power, crisis in the EU, bad development of the war in Ukraine - a "Revival" to be invited to rule. But at least they are useful in their role as a scarecrow - against their background, who would not look Euro-Atlantic?
Otherwise, it is rather shameful that the Bulgarian parliament is examining a bill of "Revival" in committees. about "foreign agents". The problem is not that this law is Russian, not American. A careful analysis would show that in the US, foreign agents are people who have officially agreed to lobby for foreign governments in Washington and are paid to do so. In Russian fashion, the Bulgarian bill aims to declare as agents all those who have used foreign funding for any purpose. Even if he imposes a series of prohibitions on them - not to teach, not to speak in public, not to engage in anything political, etc.
The problem is that this bill - be it Russian or Bulgarian - is actually frankly fascist. The logic is to put a badge of shame on the lapel of certain people and deny them access to the public sphere. In the early years of the Nazi regime in Germany, things started out exactly like this - bans on Jews teaching, being lawyers, being involved in politics, going to the swimming pool, driving a car, etc., and then slowly has reached the camps.
Many wondered why NGOs did not show up en masse at the parliamentary hearing on the obscurantist law. In fact, this hearing was not intended for them, but for Bulgarians in general. With the law "Revival" asks people if they want to rule them by violence. And they had brought with them bricklayers who called out that they wanted and "were afraid" the others. It will be a shame if this election turns out to be a legitimization of the politics of violence due to the denigration of normal people and the "fatigue" from voting.
Things have reached a breaking point
In short, these elections are barely noticed and people act as if they are not important. But with a low turnout of "disappointed" voters of the pro-European parties, they can send the country into the hands of many unprincipled coalitions, in which the law on the so-called foreign agents will be the smallest bargaining chip: the Eurozone and Bulgaria's involvement in Europe in general may be questionable.
This is not pre-election scaremongering: it's just that things have reached a certain breaking point, which can happen not because of the assertiveness of the pennies, but because of the fatigue of the majority. It is true that seven selections in less than four years is a sad record, but still it is better to be tired of selection than of no one asking him about anything.
And nothing is predetermined. As sociologists say, we know the snapshot of the distribution of power. This picture can easily change in one direction or another - this is the meaning of election campaigns. The moment is responsible and deceptively calm. In fact, however, nothing is calm in Bulgarian politics at the moment and quite fundamental changes are underway. Those who do not participate with their vote in the process will not be among the winners.
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This comment expresses the personal opinion of the author and may not coincide with the positions of the Bulgarian editorial office and of DV as a whole.