/ world today news/ Desislava Pateva’s interview with the sociologist Kancho Stoychev
The first task of President Radev was related to the formation of an official cabinet. How did you deal with her? Do you share the opinion that the intellectual and professional level sharply has it increased compared to that of the previous cabinet?
The composition of the temporary cabinet was the first major test for Gen. Radev, he met all the high requirements. I mean that he managed to put together in a very quick time a cabinet that does not smell of political burdens, that is, he made an independent cabinet, which we need both in terms of profile and character. He formed such a cabinet as he had promised. We need a cabinet independent of party will, which will be of decisive importance. In any case, it is a cabinet on a considerably higher intellectual level than the cabinet we are sending.
At the same time, I would like to note that with this the task of Gen. Radev does not exhaust himself. Now the key task is that this cabinet is not only to fulfill its main duty – the preparation for the elections, but also to start a change in the country, and that in a definite way. In such a way that whatever the result of the parliamentary elections, the country cannot go back. We need to change this country, to break with the previous model for good.
It is believed that in order to quell the criticism that Cornelia Ninova is keeping him under a shoe, Radev has completely rejected the possibility of having BSP representatives in the cabinet. At the same time, he focused on representatives of a party that has a very narrow electoral potential. Can we even talk about political neutrality of the experts who are selected?
See, we misuse and speculate on the term “political neutrality”. Every living person on this earth is “neutered”, he has his biases. So to want some sterile office created in laboratory conditions is absurd. We live in a political society. Our political system is democratic, based on the clash and dispute between political views. So it is absurd to demand some kind of political sterility. This is even harmful.
As for the finger-wagging at Radev that some red cabinet will follow – these are desperate cries of people who received a very big slap from the Bulgarian people. In the presidential elections, the Bulgarian people categorically expelled the government. Did it by 800,000 more votes than needed, gen. Radev won with 60%. This is the assessment of the management of Boyko Borisov. Any other speculation about how highways, waterfalls, and space stations were built is utter nonsense. The truth that must be emphasized – the Bulgarian people expelled Boyko Borisov’s government, not only in a personal sense, but also as a model, as a way to loot the country and to destroy the institutional basis of Bulgaria.
Will the new cabinet be able to meet the expectations for the revision of what Borisov leaves as a legacy?
God forbid that the line of this cabinet of Boyko Borisov should continue. What, to continue looting, creating monopolies, destroying institutions? No! All this has to stop. The Bulgarian people clearly said this with the election of Gen. Radev.
The question is exactly what skeletons will be pulled out of the closet. Will there be enough time? the official government to do extensive revision of Borisov’s second term?
If there is a desire for change, that change will happen. Two or three months is not a long period, but it is quite enough to demonstrate a definite will to change. As for the skeletons – don’t expect all the truth to be buried and buried somewhere in some secret room, let’s unlock the room and see it. It is about a fundamental, profound change of the management philosophy of Bulgaria, of the goals and tasks of the country. It would really be nice to do a recap, but it will take a bit more time. But it is important at the moment that the cabinet shows a clear, unwavering will to never again be able to have this type of government in Bulgaria.
It is noteworthy that shortly after Boyko Borisov resigned, the prosecutor’s office demonstrated increased activity. Charges were brought both against ministers from the Reform Bloc and against ministers from the “Borisov-1” cabinet. Is this not an attempt by the resigned Prime Minister to wash his hands and come clean to the voters by shifting the responsibility for the mistakes of his administration to others?
I have a completely different explanation. In my opinion, before the rehabilitation and restructuring of the prosecutor’s office, this institution was overwhelmed. It seems that lately she has been entering a mode in which she works much more successfully. If it was just for one or two cases, we would think it was some kind of demonstration, but we don’t have enough fingers on both hands to count the cases that have come out in the last few months. This shows that it is a matter of systematicity and not a propaganda campaign. My personal opinion is that what has been started by the prosecution will continue. There will be a steady line of increasing the utility coefficient of the Bulgarian Prosecutor’s Office. This is not to say that there are no problems there, there certainly are problems. But if the activity is improving, we should be able to say: “Yes, it is improving”.
Radev is seen as someone who has come to break the status quo, like on agent of change. However, did he manage to outline the specific priorities and goals on the institution it already represents?
Radev in a crystal manner, with a very sparing tone, said everything that had to be said. At the heart of it all is change. This means that the previous model in Bulgaria must be changed, the way, the style of management must be changed. The two words are “change” and “Bulgaria”. He is a patriot who dedicated his life to Bulgaria. The military profession is a tough one, especially his. For the first time in many years we have in this position a person who is Bulgarian deep in his soul. Personally, I have no doubt that he is a non-corrupt person and is not involved in those nasty practices that we all know about.
Rosen Plevneliev was very critical of Russia, while at the same time not saying a word about the USA. Will President Radev be able to find the balance in Bulgaria’s relations with these two great powers?
Yes, he already found it. First, Radev’s position is crystal clear, it’s hardly worth chewing on it any more. In one sentence – we have our European family, we are an integral part of Europe. There is no Bulgaria without Europe, there is no Europe without Bulgaria. Categorical position. Second, the national interests of both Bulgaria and Europe imply cooperation with Russia. Europe will be that much safer, and Bulgaria that much safer, the faster relations with Russia are established. A crystal-clear position that is already shared by the majority of leaders in the European Union and overseas.
How will Bulgaria be able to guarantee its national interests in the unions in which it is a member? We are witnessing a process of disintegration of the EU, and NATO is increasingly defined as an ineffective military alliance, as is the opinion of the new US President Donald Trump.
We don’t need Trump to tell us that Europe has problems. We know, it seems to me, what these problems are better than our American friends. Europe has a very deep problem. It is the delayed, unsuccessful integration, the detachment of a bureaucratized elite from the realities in Europe, the untimely intervention against the negative consequences of globalization, the neglect of the national identity of peoples.
As for NATO, in the last two or three years there has been a lot of persistent talking, discussing what decision to make, it has already been partially made. We Europeans need our own, European, strong, powerful army. Yes, of course, in alliance with our friends, with our partners, but a real, European, powerful army. This is what we need. It is the creation of such an army that will accelerate the integration of peoples in Europe.
What do you expect to be the distribution of forces in the parliament after the upcoming elections on March 26? An initial survey indicates that five political forces will enter it – GERB, BSP, United Patriots, DPS and Volya.
All data indicate that the picture of the participants in the next parliament will be like this. But we still don’t know who all the participants will be. New coalitions are expected to emerge in the coming days. So I do not at all exclude the possibility that the parliament will be created from six, and maybe seven parts. The latter could be some format of the Reformers and some new format around Radan Kanev and Hristo Ivanov. But since we do not have clarity about these formats, it is inappropriate to comment on them in quantitative terms. But qualitatively, it could be expected that one of these formations, possibly both, will occupy a seat in the next parliament. A few more weeks are needed to see which way things will go.
Can we expect a coalition between GERB and BSP, although the leaders of both parties seem to reject this idea?
Nothing needs to be expected in advance because it is putting the cart before the horse. What we need to do is think very hard with our heads, decide what we want to achieve and exactly how to vote. We will be able to reflect on the possible configuration after the election is over. Only the exact, concrete result of the election can be the basis for some experimental guesswork as to a possible majority. After the end of the elections, the possible majority already has a numerical, mathematical expression.
Regardless, I believe our country needs a broadly supported government, even if that means the broadest possible coalition – a large, very strong majority in parliament to make radical changes. If necessary, in order to achieve such a majority, a shorter period of government for the next parliament – say two years – can be arranged. By identifying 5 to 10 key changes for the country and with a huge, broad majority, to carry them out, and then go to new elections.
We have talked with you about the fact that Borisov was a hostage of the Reform Bloc, but he managed to split it. Some analysts even comment that he used the Reformers by giving them posts in the most difficult to manage departments. Could something similar happen with the new formations in right space?
I do not agree that Borisov should be seen as a Demiurge who can cleave, glue, etc. Undoubtedly his actions matter, but if there is a split it will be due to the Reform Bloc itself. So let’s not blame Borisov. If he uses any cracks, it is permissible, so to speak. He who has cracks must level them.
The problem of our right, because for me GERB is not a right-wing entity, is that there is no consistent right-wing policy and right-wing thinking. The most important, key is the environment for doing business, accordingly, it is important that the conditions for work and creation of goods are as favorable as possible. This problem is not discussed now. For today’s man, the existence of cartels and monopolies is a very big problem, since the right-wing man professes the value of free competition and free trade. Monopoly is the exact opposite, it leads to dictatorship. And it’s only natural that right-wing people struggle with this. I do not see such a thing, on the contrary.
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