Will the elections on October 27 lead to something much different on the political scene in our country. A more fragmented parliament, weaker systemic parties… Political scientist Kaloyan Metodiev, an independent MP (entered the parliament from the “Coalition for Bulgaria”) spoke to FAKTI.
- Mr. Metodiev, does the extraordinary parliamentary elections on October 27 make sense. What new will they give us after looking at the current political situation?
- Theoretically, there is always a sense of elections if they are fair, if there is a clash of positive ideas, different visions of development, energy for change, national goals, a good selection of candidates prepared for parliament who go to move this nation forward.
Specifically for today's situation where we have seven early elections in a row. Sad, sad. It is characterized by a sense of doom, of human anti-selection, of something temporary. The new thing you are asking me about is that the crisis will deepen. These elections are not a solution, but a deepening of the political crisis. And here comes the good news. A crisis is an opportunity. It gives ground to unravel this model with all its behind-the-scenes, architects, penetration of business in politics, vicious practices in economy, judiciary, media and to start clean. At least that's what I dream about and see as a positive option. Let idealism prevail over cynicism at least a little. Bulgarian politics is absolutely cynical. And without at least a little idealism, there are no results.
- You are in the parliament. How does what is happening in the DPS, which is divided into two, look like from within the National Assembly?
- Interesting. Two bands that took shape before my eyes. The DPS went through all kinds of emotions – confusion, fear, malice, panic, hatred… A very traumatic breakup. How fast it all developed and collapsed, eh? Eventually, both groups moved from psychological to legal cases. And they overthrew and installed governments, installed and removed generals' epaulettes, elected presidents, destroyed human destinies or made millionaires out of small peasants…
- You see a clash of politics or a clash of influence in DPS. Has the time come for the party to redefine itself…
- Of course, for influence. This is a personal clash between Dogan and Peevski, which has personal as well as generational characteristics. One will fall for sure. I don't know who yet. Both may fall from this carnage, but I am fully convinced that at least one will get away with everything in politics. DPS as we know it since January 1990 is over. Something else will come out of it. Whatever it is, it will still be corporate, not a classic European party.
- And how will the BSP redefine itself? Some register, others delete it. What will BSP represent in the elections?
- Before the elections BSP is Frankenstein, and after the elections it will be the dead Frankenstein. An entity that is labeled as political, but is of business oligarchs, criminals, drug addicts... An assemblage of well-known images – Maya Manolova, Rumen Petkov, Sergey Stanishev, the toastmaster Kiril Dobrev (the driving force of everything), the graduate of Bulgarian philology Atanas Zafirov, who writes chairman with the letter T, the one connected with the bankruptcy of Elite Bank and the Panama Papers, Borislav Gutsanov, etc. This remained from the BSP. An absolutely empty project that should satisfy the non-political needs of a few people – from public procurement, from immunity, from money, from communication with young boys, here I mean Christian Vigenin. This is their motivation. Do not look for causes, ideas, political struggle, protection of certain social groups, national interest. All that is past. If the activity is low, with a lot of money, and they have it, with the help of corrupt mayors and their mentors, they can bring it up to 2-3%. As votes, their ceiling is 40-50 thousand. They will not be in the parliament.
- Two of the system parties are torn by strife. How many votes will pour into other parties from them?
- It's hard for me to say. They must be analyzed separately. Probably a lot. First for BSP. The supporters of Kornelia Ninova are a huge number, because she neither lied to anyone, nor has addictions, nor did she steal someone's business or make a business out of politics. That's why they didn't forgive her, but organized her beating, beating, beating… Her supporters are against this model and will not support the business group that took over the BSP. Thus comes the first great ebb. After that, there will be people towards MECH, because Radostin Vassilev stands out as an alternative, he comes close to Kornelia Ninova in terms of messages, behavior and assertiveness. And the table will not come out to vote at all. For DPS, the issue is very complicated.
It was the most opaque party for these 34 years of transition.
My fellow political scientists and I have always had a hard time commenting on it, because we didn't know what was going on. Now suddenly everything is revealed publicly and shockingly like relationships, businesses, addictions, if you will and on a household level - homes, yachts… This cannot help but disgust their electorate. On the other hand, since the NDSV, they are not an ethnic, but a business-corporate structure that relies more on dependencies. Its geography, profile, faces have changed. Several DPS clones were made, but all were unsuccessful (Khoja, Tahir, Oktai, Dal, Mestan… ). That is, there is no viable alternative for the vote of these voters. I guess GERB will be some form of security in these regions and will attract votes from the outgoing DPS. It can also go a little towards PP-DB. The key question is who will get 1 more vote on October 27 - Dogan or Peevski, if they manage to show up.
- President Rumen Radev called for “everyone against Peevski“? But does anyone hear it…
- Terrible actor. That he and Delyan Peevski in an ensemble overthrew the government of Kiril Petkov. He always plays against the strongest, the hated, in order to appear moral, to be an alternative, to be in white. That's his number in politics. He never goes against someone moral, clean, ideological, who is not addicted… There it works insidiously, vilely, to bring down. I warned about him back in 2020. I said what he would do, but then the majority fell upon the messenger rather than accept the warning. Plays with everyone – politicians, oligarchs, depending on the situation, lies to them, secretly calls their opponents, buys them with posts. Straight parties – The PP feeds internal oppositions with businesses and posts, there is an OSCE report on how it interferes in the elections of the DPS and GERB country in 2022, concluded the arch-anti-Bulgarian contract with Botash, according to which everyone pays, sold off the state properties, raised a business group… And otherwise they shout - this is our president. In this plot, if he did not face the truth head on, the Bulgarians will find out the hard way what is happening to them and why they are in last place in all of Europe. He is preparing another party, coordinating with Boyko Borisov. They lie to each other again. I'm hearing more and more that they want to trade – one with a party and real power, and the other for safe oldies in the presidency.
- The parties will soon go on an election campaign. What did the 50th Parliament do? How do you see the atmosphere inside?
- Parliament in an absolute crisis is a big school. Some good things have been done, from my perspective, for nursing, education… As an independent MP, I pursued my goals – Schengen, more money for archeology, cancellation of the contract with Botash, the Eurozone, completion of the Ring Road in Sofia, support for the economy, the problems of the blind…
Otherwise, I have seen all the anti-selection that has been sent to the parliament – to fight, to shout, to insult…. Not just hollow, but harmful numbers. Sending such people again and waiting for positive results from our voters - it will not happen.
- With so many “shuffled cards“ in the political field, what are the chances of a cabinet after the vote?
- Very small. It is not clear where the vote will go in the election. Bridges are blown up, relations are hostile, voters are lied to (mainly by PP-DB), the situation is pre-revolutionary. And if the economy also suffocates, as there are already indicators, how will this government be formed and strengthened this winter? Radev will take him down from day one with all his resources. So will the opposition, whatever it is. It is not excluded that we will have elections again in the spring.
- And we hear more and more that fewer people will go to vote. Can someone currently mobilize voters and with what?
- Reasonable voices are not heard. Radicalization, extremes, lies, unreal promises are on the way. It's like in a jungle - to attract attention. However, this is how the majority of voters are repulsed. I expect record low activity. And getting into the anti-selection parliament – sketchy radicals who do no work but only make noise, others entered with addictions, schemes and bought votes. Low turnout will worsen the quality of the next deputies, thus delegitimizing the institution even more. We are in a vicious circle. The exit is with radical changes and strong leadership. A new model of the state.