How many people would protest today against the “mafia in the state” as in 2013 or 2020 – a hundred, two hundred, a thousand… None of the politicians whose path started from the protest square has yet tried to do so – but they are again similar messages. And although Bulgaria’s corruption problems and justice driven by behind-the-scenes interests have not left the agenda of society, anger will hardly erupt. Those whose faces and names were on the posters of the protests as an emblem of the mafia are on TV every day.
11 years ago, when the MPs from BSP and DPS elected Delyan Peevski as the head of DANS – at that time an MP from the Movement and a media mogul, many thousands of protests broke out in Sofia and the country, on which posters “No to oligarchs in DANS!” were raised. “The mafia has a government, whether there will be a people depends on us!”, as well as photos of Peevski with the inscription “Game Over” on them. At that time, the MP from DPS was a mythical figure – he did not appear in the parliament, the media shot him at selected targets without choosing the means, and he himself avoided any public communication.
“Who” in human form
The biggest service for Peevski, declared a symbol of the conquered state, was his “personification” – acquiring flesh, blood and visualization in the media space. Invisible to Bulgarian justice and institutions, with corruption visible to the USA and Great Britain – for which both countries sanctioned him, he became an accessible and working MP after the DPS was forced into the ruling majority PP-DB – GERB-SDS.
Peevski was thus trivialized, becoming an uncrowned spokesman for the ruling majority, a regular presence in the news, just like the weather forecast. How bad can a person be who is uncritically accepted by everyone, including and from those whose civil energy was awakened not only by the attempt of Stanishev and Dogan oligarch to head the counter-intelligence, but the iron dome of the institutions to guard the “Peevski” model.
But “Peevski” became Peevski, (co)chairman of DPS – part of the constitutional and Euro-Atlantic majority, co-author and importer of bills together with the leaders of GERB and PP-DB Boyko Borisov, Hristo Ivanov, Kiril Petkov.
What is happening
In June of twenty people, called by BOEC, gathered in front of the parliament to protest against Peevski’s participation in the commission for changes to the Constitution. Although sympathizers of PP and DB were unhappy on social networks about his inclusion, his and DPS, in the ruling majority and his public appearances as an educator, their indignation remained “locked” on social networks. Daniel Laurer even announced that Peevski has changed for the better and has already become a spokesman for European values.
After the failure of the rotation and the collapse of this same majority, the leaders of PP-DB named Peevski as the culprit, and the leader of GERB Borisov made himself his victim. And now they again suggest to voters to stop Peevski. He should not be allowed to “recharge his influence in the prosecutor’s office, the services, the judicial power, the regulators”, the co-chairman of “Democratic Bulgaria” Hristo Ivanov recently called on BNR. In the EuroDikoff program, the co-chairman of “We continue the change” Kiril Petkov commented that Borisov is dependent on the permanent power, which is in the hands of one person – Mr. Peevski. The question is whether GERB can break away from DPS, after the leader is so ensnared.
You can’t step into the same river twice
It is very difficult to sell the same dreams several times, says Zoro Penchev from the Association for Fair Elections to the BNR. The expert points out that the last major peak of political agitation was in 2021, and neither “There Is Such a People” (ITN) nor PP managed to maintain the momentum. Explanations of the type “we are honest, we made a mistake due to inexperience”, given by Kiril Petkov recently, have no particular effect. When you led civil discontent against the status quo, declared yourself an innovator in politics, were a minister and prime minister, these excuses don’t seem relevant.
GERB, however, are somehow bypassed in criticism by the PP-DB, since in the coalition they realize that they are their (only) ally in the parliament. Situationally, as can be seen in the last days of the 49th National Assembly, the BSP also appeared as such, insisting that the dependencies in the deal with “Botash” be clarified – but this is because of the rift with President Radev. In terms of values, the Socialists of Kornelia Ninova are closer to “Vazrazhdane” and in the coalition cabinet with Prime Minister Kiril Petkov, cooperation was strained because of the different positions regarding the war in Ukraine.
Before the elections on June 9, however, there is a regrouping on the political scene. Green Movement left “Democratic Bulgaria”, and “We continue the change” was left without “Middle European Class” (SEC), its mandate holder in the first vote in which the PP participated. The Greens believe that the trust of many people has been lost, and environmental policies have not happened. The leader of the SEC, Konstantin Bachiiski, argued that the PP was created to fight against the vicious model, but allied itself with it. (The same Bachiyski was the only one from the PP-DB to vote for the BSP’s version of the Law on Domestic Violence that the intimate relationship be only between a man and a woman.)
After the last ten months, the civic energy will hardly be awakened. And the question “Who will remove “Peevski” from the state” awaits its answer.
This comment expresses the personal opinion of the author and may not coincide with the positions of the Bulgarian editorial office and DV as a whole.
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Photo: BGNES
