I can't psychologically understand those who vote for "Vazrazhdane". But don't underestimate Kostadinov for a moment - he knows how to skillfully package everything as a defense of Bulgarian national interests, writes Ivaylo Noyzi Tsvetkov.
Well, yes."Peace and only peace!" - that's what the great instinctive philosopher Karlson said from the roof, who, on top of everything, was the first since Sextus Empiricus to ask a truly aporia question (to Miss Rog) – – "And have you stopped drinking cognac in the morning?", which has no correct answer. But here the topic is different – and I propose a more gentle and rational approach to “Vazrazhdane“, because those engaged in this senseless and slightly comical philo-phobic “battle“ are initially unaware of the true motives behind it.
Not for nothing, but because this is not exactly a cultural or civilizational dispute, but a simple as a bean native policy, as if born in the former hour of “Morals and Law“. (And with the panicky eternal kindness of Borisov on the issue, who is the most cunning desert fox and has long been winking “amorously“ at Kostadinov “just a little longer and we will understand each other, brother.) While all the Kostadinovites and so on, figuratively speaking, have put on their Russian “pants“ and are posing “sexy” for his eternally misinformed (potential) electorate.
But don't underestimate Kostadinov for a moment, please. He looks sharp, his suits fit him the best, he is highly articulate, sometimes even logical; he avoids direct "sexualization" of Russophile, he simply defends Putin's interests (raising his hand to the neo-imperial Soviet in the style of "but I support you"). And through his well-organized, talented public speaking, he skillfully packages everything as a defense of Bulgarian national interests, while in the meantime he thinly slices the onion of "patriotic" so as not to irritate the eyes of possible moderate voters on the periphery. Which he has long been aiming for.
Check false prophets
In other words, Kostadinov knows perfectly well that there are no "genders", no 32 sexes, no devil, but his attempt at a political dividend through the "Western liberal enemy" is perfidious and somehow obligatory. By the way, "Renaissance" and traditional Christianity do not intersect anywhere in the plain (and especially in the Frangen Plateau, God forbid), respectively, this is not something; this is simply nothing, a desperate and clumsy addition to the general policy of the gentleman.
And it is so simple that it makes me laugh, and - quite honestly - I cannot psychologically understand those who vote for "Renaissance". A huge part of them are not idiots and know very well that a way back (and to the East) is not possible; you would say, they are protesting through their frustration, partly caused by Western neoliberal propaganda. What makes me laugh the most is the blind belief that Trump will restore the “conservative order“ and “normality“. And that is what, whatever it is, will affect Bulgarian life.
Well, no. The three people who are fighting for power do not care at all about liberal and conservative, they can also perfectly pose as Euro-Atlantics (mostly). Ergo, no significant changes will occur in your life if, for example, the newest Atlanticist takes power, or vice versa – if even “Vazrazhdane“ they take it.
Think about it, let's play Huxley for a moment - the Kostadinovites are first. So what? Are we launching the “Balkan Stream“ again? Are the children starting to learn Russian in junior high school? Are we carrying large portraits of Putin and small ones of Kostadinov? Are we bringing back the demonstrations? Is the price of Russian gas falling? Let's be more serious, let's be cool and reasonable - “Vazrazhdane“ have no choice but to take selfies with Fico, Orban and Vucic. And scare the crows.
But here I would also recommend a little silence in the liberal reaction. I understand that many make a living by scaring people (as long as it's not “Vazrazhdane“, Putin will take over Varna and other nonsense, democracy is in terrible trouble, if we allow it today, tomorrow, etc.). Nothing like that. Kostadinov, who looks a bit like Ernst Röhm to me (i.e. he will soon be ostracized by those who are his there), is simply a desperate man who will never get real resources if he does not want to go to Moscow, but to move to Solnechnogorsk.
Childish reactions
Come on, chill out a bit - none of these supposedly conservative amateurs will take away a single freedom from you, it's just an ordinary election campaign. Honestly, some of my reactions seemed childish, and that's where the laughter started. But they also do it in Poland and Hungary, I don't know what; yes, we must protect liberal democracy, but let's not forget that it is best protected by itself, ever since William James. Come to Bulgaria, where common sense (especially of the new lower middle class) understands very well that "yes, they will tell me what", and does not vote.
This is like a natural defense mechanism and there is no need to tear shirts. Yes, “Vazrazhdane“ will always be stinkingly Russian and retrograde, and above all desperately Trumpist (without speaking English). They are poorly formulated a priori, but in essence and in the end they are stupid and do not change anything. For no other reason than because the leaders there themselves, headed by Kostadinov, are severely cognitively challenged, to say the least, and mistakenly believe that with simple Russophile and frightening messages they will attract the common masses. But they do not take into account the Fifth Industrial Revolution - a large part of their potential adepts have already crossed over into the lower middle class and are starting to get excited that they do not fall for such stupidity. Okay, all the former military people vote for them, since they long for the triple salary and “security“, but how many of them are there?
Why is Bulgaria different
No, Kotse - there is not and there will not be a crowd of evil genders who attack the solid as sedimentary rock BG-rural conservatism, no warriors. In our country there is not and there will not be a third, fourth, etc. gender; there are four people in total and we all know them, so there is no need for an excess of anthropological energy, except on social networks.
By the way, if there was a way for Bulgarian Facebook to produce electricity by inciting feuds and Homeric keyboard battles, we would be the largest exporter of electricity.
Here I call on your entire ratio to help; let's try to return at least partially some political normality in the new 2025. It's not difficult - if the parties don't get along and don't put anything together, let's punish them until they at least partially come to their senses.
Let's vote more rationally
It's time for simplicity to give way to rational voting. By the way, I have an answer that you won't like. At the moment, they are deliberately delaying in various ways regarding the appropriations under the Sustainability and Development Plan, where we are talking about nearly two billion. This is their only important issue, while you are arguing about “traditional values“ and whether “Vazrazhdane“ are the Russophile answer.
The truth is that they don't care what's going on in Bulgaria, they play the first act of “Troil and Cressida“, supposedly they don't love each other yet, and then they do, but the love is not enough and they fight again. We are already in 2030, I'm not kidding, look a little further ahead: there is no need to gather students in one place anymore. The Alpha generation is probably smarter than you, calmer, more deterministic, more intuitive.
However, the topic is whether an obvious Russophile party from Varna can take over you - because of the whole political aging shitshow.
Or just like that, until you are careful.
This comment expresses the personal opinion of the author and may not coincide with the positions of the Bulgarian editorial office and the DW as a whole.