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mepickled eggs, tomatoes and vegetables. When a head of government uses social media to tell his citizens that they would be happy to throw all of this at him if they just left intersections open for rush hour traffic, then there are two options: or the man is completely eliminated. Or believe in the reconciling power of your humor.
The announcement comes from Boiko Borissow, Prime Minister of Bulgaria, these days. Contrary to what it seems, the situation is serious. On Wednesday the protesters in Sofia again asked for his resignation, at least 55 were injured, according to official information, 95 arrested. He accuses his bourgeois nationalist government of nepotism with the oligarchs. In addition, Borisov wants to further restrict the control of the judiciary and the separation of powers with a constitutional reform. Even his own president, Rumen Radew, in a speech to parliament, demanded that Borissov and his entire cabinet resign. “We have no other way out of this loss of confidence.”
The people of Brussels look at Bulgaria with concern. Is a second Hungary emerging here? After joining the EU, Viktor Orbán’s country gradually restricted free media, the judiciary and the opposition. The result: an EU country to which money flows from Brussels, sometimes without any control.
Eggs thrown at police officers in Sofia
“We have to take a closer look at Bulgaria,” said MEP and corruption expert Daniel Freund (Greens) in an interview with WELT. “Unlike Hungary, Bulgaria behaves more discreetly and therefore more skillful.” Jens Geier, president of the European SPD, warns: “Several Hungarians from the European Union threaten us because the governments of countries like Poland, Slovenia and the Czech Republic currently have heads of government. They show little willingness to subordinate themselves to European decisions.” In some cases, “they would develop a great imagination to funnel EU payments into their own pockets.”
The citizens of Bulgaria have been calling for reforms for years. And for years the same man has returned to power after the resignation of governments: Boiko Borissow. Without a doubt, it is also his talent for humor that keeps the muscular 61-year-old winning the election. Borissov learned politics in communist cadre schools, but dominated the iconic popular appearance.
For years he was the oldest professional soccer player in the country for the second division club FC Witoscha Bistritsa, and was recognized for it. He likes to post well-viewed live videos on Facebook. Most recently behind the wheel of a car on the road. Borissov rejected the resignation demands against him on Thursday.
Opposition politicians in the rubber boat
“This man can talk to construction workers on the street as well as he can talk to important EU state guests,” political scientist Dimitar Bechew told WELT. Born in Sofia, Bechew conducts worldwide research on the role and development of post-Soviet states, including the Vienna Institute for Human Sciences. He sees similarities but also differences in the development of Bulgaria compared to Hungary. Borisov is less powerful than Orbán. Who really governs is the cartel of oligarchs and political officials “.
The latest protests a few weeks ago triggered a scene with symbolic power. Opposition politician Christo Ivanov landed in a rubber boat on a public beach near Burgas on the Black Sea. There the controversial politician Ahmed Dogan has his property, who is also said to be close to the oligarchs.
The public beach is protected by the state security forces. The videos show how the security forces take away the opposition politician. “The incident summed up the misuse of government resources,” says Bechew. Describe a vicious cycle. The oligarchs would pull the strings of the government. The judiciary is not independent, but Attorney General Ivan Geschew persecutes political opponents. Independent media? Mostly off. “Only, unlike Hungary, there is no decline in the rule of law, but the situation has always been like this,” says Bechew.
An almost closed system that is supported by EU funds. Already in 2014, the citizens of Bulgaria demonstrated against the theft of their land. At the time, it was still the urban, pro-Western middle class taking to the streets, Bechew says, because the Socialists were still in power under Prime Minister Borisov.
He resigned at the time due to allegations of corruption. But he was re-elected in an entertaining campaign, under close scrutiny from the EU. Interestingly, with the mandate to finally control corruption. Since 2017, the socialists no longer rule, but the right-wing national parties. An unusual alliance of pro-Western and nostalgic post-Soviet supporters is now manifesting across the country. This shows that the head of government is not interested in national ideology, Bechew said. “Follow the money pragmatically.”
This is evident at the EU level. While Hungary expresses its positions in Brussels, seeing itself as a spokesperson against migration and for national independence, Bulgaria is acting cautiously. Sofia plays elegantly on the big stage in Brussels. SPD politician Geier also warns about this: For years, the Bulgarian government wanted to avoid EU control over its breach of the rule of law. Borissov is “very interested in showing his loyalty to Merkel and the European People’s Party on the European stage.”
Greens MP Freund has created a multi-party anti-corruption task force. Many countries are in sight: Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland. “At that time, when Bulgaria was admitted, Brussels expected further progress in the rule of law that would result from the opening up of the country,” says Freund. That did not come true. “Rather, the EU funds stabilize the corrupt system.”
Recently, the leaders of the EU Parliament sent a letter of fire to Chancellor Angela Merkel and the President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen (available on WELT). The call: EU funds must no longer be allowed to be paid to governments without complying with provisions for democracy and the rule of law. In the case of Bulgaria, EU MEPs are now awaiting the EU report on the rule of law of member states that is expected this month, and the corresponding consequences for Brussels.
One hope: unlike Hungary, Bulgaria has submitted to the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, which in the future will be able to investigate fraud in the use of EU funds in member states. With the distribution of the 750 billion relief fund for the Corona crisis alone, the department should face important tasks.
It is managed by corruption specialist Laura Kövesi, who has already “cleaned up quite a bit” in Romania and apparently felt so uncomfortable there that she was fired, Freund says. “In view of the large task, the department is still too small in terms of staff.”
All of this is a toxic mix for the Bulgarian economy. Although the auto parts supply industry has great potential, as does the emerging IT sector, says political scientist Bechew. Unlike the politicians in Brussels, he believes that Bulgaria can only free itself from this misery: “The entire political culture must change.”
