It is most natural that the leader of the winning party becomes the Prime Minister &ndash ; this is the logic of political life and of political struggle, – but according to Academician Denkov, the logic is not that. Here, at the end of the campaign, we have witnessed all sorts of convulsions in order to justify something else. This morning I gritted my teeth and forced myself to watch on the phone a pre-election debate that took place earlier on BTV, between representatives of GERB and Change. I generally don't watch TV, except for ideologically neutral series like “Undercover“ (great movie!), I don't even watch the studios on election night anymore (and there was a time when I personally went to the NDK, my God!), but what happened to me now that I watched the final debate and that on tape – I don't know. I watched it all carefully.
This is what Ivan Stambolov commented – Sula for Tribune.bg.
Hardly the debate would surprise anyone with something unseen – everything that has been said is basically known. Delyan Dobrev and Rosen Zhelyazkov participated on the GERB side, and on the other side – that of PPDB – Nikolay Denkov and a woman whose name I did not remember. She appeared from the ranks of “Democratic Bulgaria” – some girl with big, smart, beautiful glasses. Regarding Denkov, I can't stop wondering who thought that this little man could represent someone or something. I'm embarrassed to say it because I've recently been criticized for only picking on the Changeling. Hey, what should I do? See them for yourself!
The behavior of the media was very cheap, very cheap! I don't know how a national media with pretensions dares to afford it. The presenters openly played for the team of change, with the woman (someone Tsantsarova) even joining instead of GERB's opponents when someone “reverent“ pre-prepared question. I hope they added this behavior to the total bill and paid them for it, because otherwise it would be too annoying idleness.
Delian Dobrev really likes me. In 2013, when I was the leader of the list in Haskovo from Kuneva's party, he was against me from GERB, but there was no media meeting between us. And thank God, because he was going to make me crazy – me and the party I represented – just as he did to his current opponents. At the final debate, he made only one mistake, probably out of a desire to emphasize the absurdity of the coalition against himself – asked them how they would reconcile the left of “Change” with the right of “Democratic Bulgaria”. Where did you see the right, Messrs. Dobrev and Zhelyazkov! So these are two organic, ontological left formations, a product of the liberal mainstream! They are like children of one mother.
See what Denkov answered you – said that caring about people's incomes and social benefits was not left-wing thinking. What is it? This is exactly leftist thinking. There is no politician or party who has said that they will not care about the welfare of the people. The difference is that for the left it is a main goal, and for the right it is the result of achieving the main goal, which is economic and financial stability and a favorable business climate. Otherwise, PPDB are delightfully cheeky – they said that for the winner of the election to determine the future policy of the country contradicted democratic logic. I'm sure that if (indeed when) Change doesn't get the support to enter parliament, then they'll still find a way to say that it's up to them to sort out the cabinet and set policy.
In the debate, along with the expected chaff, several main motives stood out.
1. Will GERB negotiate with Peevski? This question, it seems, was the strategic weapon of the debating team on the side of the Change. They asked him to shake, although each time the other side patiently explained to them that negotiations with all members of parliament were permissible, but not before they agreed and defined certain preconditions. In turn, GERB also asked a question:
2. Will PPDB coalition with Vazrazhdane? Because if they do not ally with the first power, then arithmetically and logically there is nothing else they can do to satisfy their frantic desire to be in control at any cost. And this in practice (in theory as well) would mean a turn towards Russia and Putin. Russia is a wild empire that is right about itself in all matters, but God forbid you fall into its sphere of influence!
3. Finally, Denkov and the Woman with the glasses also set a conditio sine qua non – whatever will happen, let it happen, but without Borisov! It was against him that they protested in 2020. And look how they forget that just then Borisov was demonized because he chased Cherepa, and Radev called him “shit” and went to war against him with a raised fist. An incredible resource was harnessed in this denigration.
Actually, who (what) should be the next prime minister is not a motive of this last debate, but a question that was chewed over earlier. It was launched by Denkov. I don't know if the idea was his, rather hardly. But anyway he found himself tasked with identifying his personality with her. Equidistant to be publicly recognizable in itself, with the necessary authority and weight. Let me explain to Academician Denkov. I may not be a political scientist, but neither is he, so we'll keep things simple. The idea of a prime minister equidistant from all political subjects is complete nonsense. The moment someone suggests it, it doesn't matter who, it will no longer be equidistant. Moreover, by virtue of his worldview, he cannot be equidistant. Let's assume that he is a Eurofederalist, and there are those among the parties who are Eurosceptic. Well, will he be equidistant from all representatives of both types of parties?
The future Prime Minister must cover much more important indicators than being close or distant. A prime minister must be a person with a clear political profile and commitment to the first force. From there will flow both his authority and his responsibility as a consequence of his legitimacy. Otherwise, it will be a hollow extra. It must be a successful (unsuccessful) former minister or prime minister, and not some professional, or even an expert, in another field that has nothing to do with the specific subject of activity. When you hire a person for a given position or announce a tender for a contractor, you look at past experience. Why, by electing a prime minister, do you spout nonsense about equal distance?
Also, how many magnificent candidates with a civic profile and indisputable (non-political) authority were rejected – Gabrovsky, Gerdzhikov for president... Were they not equidistant enough? Therefore, if GERD is the first force – Borisov. If it is PPDB – Petkov or Vassilev. If it is “Revival“ – Kostadinov, etc. This is logic, not Denkov's academic locums, which he himself hardly believes. What, is he ashamed of his leaders? He doesn't find them to be prime ministers?
Let them take what they want in the elections, and then we will scratch their money. But only in this way will someone finally be able to bear real political responsibility, because if he fails as prime minister, he will at least cease to be the leader of his party, and other things according to the specifics of the failure. Besides, I think that Carthage should be destroyed.
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Ivan Stambolov is a freelance screenwriter and producer at BNT, BNR and “Darik“ until 1994, and then started a consulting business, which he is still involved in today – primarily in the field of media and political positioning.
In recent years, it has maintained its own journalistic sections in print and internet publications. He is the author of the books “Indecent Poetry” (parody); “Dodecameron“ (12 short stories), the novels “Yanaki Bogomil. The Mystery of the Icon and the Sun Disc“ and “Yanaki Bogomil 2. Seven Deadly Sins“; the collections journalism “Zen and the art of wiping your ass“, “Carthage must be destroyed“ and “The Thin Voice of Common Sense”; the systematic guide “Technology and philosophy of creative writing“.
He was a columnist in the newspapers “Pari“ and “Now”, magazine “Economist” and the “Web Cafe“ and “Top News”, and currently – in c. “Labor“ and "News BG". He is the author of one of the most popular Bulgarian blogs, Sulla.bg, winner of the major awards of the Bulgarian WEB Association and the “BG Site” Foundation. Member of the Public Council of BNT and the Creative Council of the "Culture" Directorate; of the Metropolitan Municipality.