/ world today news/ GERB and Borisov catalyzed the decline in politics and society
Playing with populism took place against the backdrop of people’s unresolved issues
The people who have the knowledge and experience are pushed out by the laity in the parties, in GERB, BSP, in civil movements, noted Mikhail Mikov on press conference in Vidin. According to him, the decline of socio-political life in recent years was strongly catalyzed by Borisov and the behavior of GERB, which played with populism, emerging as an anti-systemic phenomenon, similar to NDSV before.
“All this came against the background of severe unresolved socio-economic problems and people, thinking that the new would be better, gave it life and support. Later, they must have been disappointed,” commented the former chairman of the BSP. “Of course, here the responsibility lies with the political scientists, the media, and the journalists, and perhaps first of all the responsibility lies with the politicians, who are gradually losing public support and trust,” emphasized the left-wing MP.
“But notice, Borisov’s attitude in those years to both the president and the parliament – “I introduce this law, accept it”, and the next day: “this law will not be applied” – imperceptibly eroded the institutions in Bulgaria. And now it will be very difficult to restore trust in the institution of the National Assembly, it will be very difficult to restore trust in the institution of the presidency. But that’s what happens when a person thinks that power can always be concentrated in one place, and not follow the spirit of the Constitution. History knows of other such cases,” pointed out Mikhail Mikov.
Mikov also commented on the accusations leveled against him for the period when he was at the head of the Socialist Party. He recalled that the accusation of political sectarianism by his opponents in the party was also connected with his refusal to let the BSP enter into a coalition with GERB. “I am very interested now how we would look in these elections if we were part of the government, because then in the National Council of the party there were votes that it was good to participate in the government,” the socialist recalled. He also set an example with his position regarding ABV. “These were the accusations against me, but I believe that this was the correct policy, because I have said it on other occasions that the opposite concept of sectarianism is communalism,” he declared.
Changing the election rules carries a risk
Bulgaria is facing a risk related to the tremors in the political system, warned Mikhail Mikov. He pointed out that there is talk of a Grand National Assembly, but no one is saying what to change it. “The form of government? Does anyone think she should change? I think that the Supreme Court is not necessary, there is no problem that should be solved by the Supreme Court. This will further stress the country,” predicted the MP from the BSP LEFT BULGARIA. “In the conditions of migrant pressure and the exposure of fear, I can imagine in what direction the rights of citizens can be affected. It may be that for about 25 years we have gone through a cycle where only ownership has been concentrated in big business and that’s it. And in terms of democratic rights, of the socio-economic standard, we are in decline. No Supreme Court will solve this problem,” Mikov was emphatic. The parliamentarian drew attention to the fact that no one has yet articulated a constitutional draft. “The justification for much of what was not done during those years was addressed abstractly to the Constitution, to the electoral system. Only now, after the referendum, a more sober discussion of the problems that will arise has begun,” stated the BSP representative.
The majoritarian system is in the interest of several cities
According to Mikov, the expected introduction of a majoritarian system will reduce the representation of individual territories, which are already poorly represented in the National Assembly. “This will lead to a concentration of representation in several large cities, in which the internal migration flow from the province for socio-economic reasons has occurred in these 25 years, and it will happen that in the Bulgarian National Assembly three or four cities – Sofia, Plovdiv, Burgas and Varna – will be able to achieve a majority and push policies in view of the interests of these large cities. What I hear, about absolute exposure of the population, will leave the regions on the periphery of the country in an even more difficult situation. They will turn into even more depopulated territories, and the interests of the big cities will determine the allocation of the budget and the solution of the problems. We don’t have the fix of the second house, where each state, whether it’s California or Alaska, is represented by two members to make up for unequal representation in the lower house. A lot of people talk about France, about England, but no one considers the overall system of these countries. For the second chamber, in which regional representation is ensured, for France, which is not a parliamentary republic… So hopefully it will be realized what is being done,” the parliamentarian expressed hope.
According to Mikov, zoning in case of overconcentration of population in large cities will lead to the possibility of forming non-political coalitions between these cities on budget, infrastructure issues, interests. “You put 10-15 representatives of the local oligarchic layer in this assembly – there are them. Should I say them for Vidin, for Vratsa, for Montana, for Pernik, for Kyustendil, which have the capacity to implement their own representatives? And then the question arises as to how politics will be made in this assembly, and politics that will meet the interests of all citizens. I think it will be much more difficult than now, when there are “bad” parties and “bad” representatives issued by them”, predicted the MP from the left.
“I have personally maintained my position since the beginning of the year and before the referendum. She is very clear. But the fear of losing personal popularity if you tell the truth, in a populist society in which the media is an extremely important factor, ties the hands of politicians. The BSP has a position and this is the position that the Executive Bureau expressed a month – a month and a half ago on the issues. There will still be a National Council and we will see what position it will take, but the question is not only in the BSP, but in all political forces. Now there is a wait and every political force is looking at how, understanding that this is generally harmful to the political system, how to get on top of the general anti-attitude towards politicians, parties and the political system,” commented Mikhail Mikov.
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