An episode from the pre-election race and a demonstration of strength – this is how the political scientist Parvan Simeonov from “Gallup International Balkan” counted the removal of the Speaker of the Parliament Rosen Jhelyazkov and with the votes of the PP-DB.
“It’s a show of strength. PP-DB are in a defensive position and this is a show of strength where it is a bit debatable whether they get any benefit from teaming up with Vazrazhdane, ITN and BSP.”
For the political scientist, the removal of Zhelyazkov is a “mirror image of what was done with Nikola Minchev” and which “achieved the opposite effect – tightened, mobilized the supporters of the PP, instead of sending them down the slide.”
If in the elections in June PP-DB are third or fourth, as sociological data suggest, this is a completely new political situation. Then it is possible that GERB, DPS and various other formations will think about more peaceful negotiations among themselves. However, this would be a mistake, Simeonov believes.
In his words, on the other hand, it will be a “sweet role” for PP-DB to remain in opposition for a while.
“There are three large groups of voters in Bulgaria. One is of PP-DB, who sometimes errs in her arrogance and overestimates her abilities. The other is that of GERB and DPS, which is most likely intoxicated by the current moment, in which they rub the PP-DB’s wear almost every day.
There is also a third group that is looking for an owner. A part of her voted for “Vazrazhdane”, a part of her will probably vote for Grigorova, and a part of her will probably vote for something on Rumen Radev tomorrow.”
Vanya Grigorova’s initiative, according to Parvan Simeonov, can also be interpreted as a “preliminary version” of the presidential project, “which, with this headwind, will move forward, rather pave a path.”
“PP managed in a strange way, because of their specific style, which annoys many people, sometimes on a purely anthropological level, they managed in an unsuspected quick way to turn everyone against them. Sometimes even their partners from DB have a hard time tolerating them,” commented Simeonov in the program “Before Everyone”.
At the moment, everyone is kicking PP and this overdoing it can backfire, he added.
No matter how washed-up GERB and DPS look, these are 4 years of incessant political attempts to keep the model associated with them a little behind. It is a very big national frustration that for 4 years there have been very serious attempts at change and it has not happened, the political scientist emphasized. He called the official coming of DPS forward a “mass transition”.
“We’re back to more of the same. We are still talking about whether DPS can come forward officially.
That has always been the question. (…) And this is a perfectly comfortable position for Borisov, because he has both doors open, he balances – he always had a Balkan wing and a liberal, pro-Western wing, and when he didn’t have those two legs, he was uncomfortable. The hardest moments were when he was left alone on his Balkan leg.
Now everyone is fighting for his love. What could be better for Borisov! Certainly, Borisov comes out on top of everything.”
