Ninova: Borisov is afraid for his own political future and that's why he's making all these compromises

„Some called the arrangement a compromise. I call it betrayal. And a government born of a lie“.
This was said in the studio of „Darik's Day“ Kornelia Ninova in response to a question about how she would determine the choice of the new regular government.
„Each of these parties promised its voters before the elections that it would not form a coalition with the others – not to repeat Slavi's words, the BSP has a decision at the congress, Borisov, who said “neither with one nor the other MRF, never with the BSP“. Such unprincipledness, such lies and deception towards the voters will have only one effect, unfortunately - fewer and fewer people will trust politicians. And with good reason. Because you can't say one thing on the 10th and do another on the 11th," she pointed out.
“I would not allow such a coalition in any way“, Ninova replied to the subsequent question about her decision on the coalition of the BSP with GERB, ITN and Dogan's MRF.
“I am proud that we were then the only party that did not surrender to the backstage, to the deep state, and I deeply regret that now the BSP leadership has betrayed the trust of many people who expect an alternative to the “GERB“ model. Because this government is the most terrible assembly of everything bad from the transition“.
According to her, the “Zhelyazkov“ cabinet is perhaps the first to start work without a management program. “They would have written it within a month. The president gave them almost 2 months. You are supposedly experienced politicians, you were negotiating something there constantly, Saturday and Sunday, you didn't sleep at night - but what did you negotiate for 2 months, that you don't have 2 lines of the program? It's obvious - about the posts. They were going to make a legislative change in the coming months, and until then the parliament will work on legislation piecemeal. I say from experience that the worst thing in the legislative work of a parliament is to work piecemeal. Which means to pinch one law here, one there and rely on floating majorities,“, Ninova pointed out.
According to her, this is the worst option and the consequences will be seen: clientelism, more corruption, theft, distribution of posts only. “Look just 24 hours after the cabinet vote, what started? The news that a deputy prime minister has 7 advisors appointed is shocking to me“, said Ninova, referring to Atanas Zafirov. “Consulting with 7 people speaks of two things: wild clientelism or you need someone to hold your pen. I was a deputy prime minister with one chief of staff and half a dozen secretaries. And this is an example of just one position – imagine how this whole thing will swell“.
“They say that tax policy will not change. The BSP has always wanted progressive taxation, we have wanted, because of growing inequalities, poor people to be exempt from tax, for there to be a scale of increase. We have wanted differentiated VAT rates – on bread, on baby food and clothes, because of the demographic catastrophe. They crossed it out.
There is a sentence that says that the current line of environmental policy will be followed – i.e. The Green Deal remains unchanged. Behind this veiled wording, it is actually said that the mines will be closed. And again, complete silence. There is talk of preserving the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine“, pointed out Kornelia Ninova.
„Yes, it is very good to have a regular government and there should be one. Some say – the alternative was elections. No. The alternative was a national, non-partisan, expert, government with a specific term and a clear program“, she was categorical.
„By March, let's say - a budget for 2025, by June - everything under the Recovery and Sustainability Plan should be adopted, by September - the eurozone, etc. 10 things. Good experts, honest people, not thieves and not political figures, all parties stand behind them in a nationally responsible government, because the crises are severe and we monitor whether they are implementing this. If they do not implement it - the government is overthrown, if they implement it - Bulgaria moves forward. Principled and simple. If they did not accept it, there would be no clientele, no distribution of posts, no public procurements“, said Cornelia Ninova and added:
“However, party thinking prevails, fear prevails in some leaders – I responsibly claim that Borisov is afraid for his own survival and political future and that is why he is making all these compromises“.
When asked who this fear is from, she said: “From Peevski, from the prosecutor's office, from Barcelonagate, all the cases that are being talked about, which are sitting on logs somewhere. The engine of what has been created is not a desire for stability of Bulgaria, development and progress – the engine is fear and money“.
More from the political conversation: “It's not just me who is saying it anymore, it is increasingly being heard from analysts, sociologists, that Peevski has a hand in this government. I say it based on personal experience, experienced on my back, during the years in which I was the chairman of the BSP. I know how Peevski tried to interfere in the work of the parliamentary group when voting on key laws, I know through whom, I know how much effort it cost me to prevent this. And then I know what a blow I took“, said Cornelia Ninova.
Asked about the BSP ministers in the cabinet, she emphasized: “First of all, you have to be honest – at least, according to my ideas in politics. And secondly – to understand what you went for. If you have both – then you are exactly in your place. While in our case, both are missing. Neither of them is for this post and the ministry in which they were appointed“.
In the conversation about the judicial system: “The decision of this Supreme Judicial Council not to elect because its mandate has expired is the right decision, the correct decision. Moreover, this Supreme Judicial Council does not have the moral image to do it, since we remember how in one day they voted for Geshev, after 48 hours the same people ordered them – they removed him, then Sarafov, now they do not want Sarafov. It is obvious that these people are on a leash“, said Cornelia Ninova and added:
“I do not believe that this parliament can act in principle. This parliament is fake, it was elected with falsified elections. Fake elections – a fake parliament, a government born in lies to the voters, aimed only at distributing portions and power. I do not believe that they will elect a qualitatively new SJC“.
According to her, very easy steps in the judicial reform were possible, which would make things easier for people, ensure justice, and a speedy trial. These are some changes in the Law on the Judiciary, in procedural laws, for example – for faster court proceedings. “A case cannot be filed for 15 years, in the end either the statute of limitations has passed, or the person has gone abroad and they have dropped him at the border. Small steps could have been taken that would have given a sense of justice. The big battle – for the controlled judicial system, to be carried out gradually and consistently“, Ninova pointed out.
“It is absurd for such a government to last 4 years. It will probably have a few months to live“, said Cornelia Ninova. But she raised the important question of the adoption of the budget:
“For me, this is the big question - budget and economic development. The economy is key, because a problem is emerging: After the recession in Germany, which is our main partner, after the collapse of foreign investments, there is a collapse of exports. Only consumption is good for now, but with this rise in prices, it will also fall. Contrary to some economists who claim that there is nothing to worry about, I think that the scary thing is coming. And it is better to tell each other now, so that measures can be taken. And last week, a large enterprise in Stara Zagora with 500 people closed down,” said Ninova, during whose time as economy minister Bulgaria ranked first in industrial production in Europe, unlike today’s 13th or 14th place.
“It is important that they adopt some meaningful economic program – specific measures, especially for small and medium-sized businesses. I am convinced that small and medium-sized businesses will pull the economy along. I would start with that,” she added.
When asked if it were up to you, VAT on bread, Ninova was categorical: – Zero rate. We introduced it at the Ministry of Economy. For bread, it was intended to be a permanent measure, for restaurants – temporary“.
To the remark that it is populism for the VAT rate on bread to be zero, she replied: “How can it be zero in half of Europe, but not here? The price ceiling is obsolete? In Greece there is a price ceiling, and a right-wing government is in power. In France – the government met with the owners of retail chains, they prepared a list of goods for which they said: we are putting a price ceiling“.
Asked where she would start if “Unruly Bulgaria“ was in parliament: “The budget is the most important. Because everything else is decided through it. Second priority – the price of electricity and energy. It is madness to pay the most expensive electricity, to export our coal to Serbia and Macedonia and buy energy back from them. And to have the price increase every 3 months. And when it snows - the wires break, there is no electricity and some private utility company explains to you that it is force majeure to snow in the winter. Wrong approaches and lack of any responsibility," she commented.
And in the conversation about children and gender ideology: “Until now, it was sacrilege to confront gender ideology. Now I am glad that the newly elected President Trump is reversing the trends – he immediately said that he would start by banning pharmaceutical products that support gender reassignment and growth arrest at puberty, etc., categorically stated “we are man and woman, and nothing else“. And suddenly, the same wimps with whom I have argued for years, who have insulted me, who claimed that we can be 48 things, outside of man and woman, I am currently listening to them swear: no, we are just man and woman. After Trump said it. Why does Trump have to tell you that?“, Ninova reacted.
She was categorical: “My position has always been to do everything possible not to preach gender ideology among minors and juveniles, not to change the gender of minors and juveniles. Everyone over 18 is free to live their lives as they want. But in schools and with children, this should not be allowed. That's why I've always said: Don't touch the children! Let them grow up, when they turn 18 they are already free to do whatever they want with themselves“, concluded Cornelia Ninova.