Tatiana Burudjieva, Political Scientist: The Cabinet loses due to its firm position

- Mrs Burudjieva, can the protests organised by various branches cause a political crisis in the country?
- We have not had such an experience in Bulgaria so far – of protests that have led to a political crisis. Confronting positions have usually approximated and resulted in some kind of arrangements. In recent years, however, protests have had a big impact on people’s attitudes towards governments. I will give you as an example an identical case. During the term in office of the former government, there were serious protests by farmers and the government, just like the incumbent one, claimed that the protests had been initiated by some rich people in the branch and the right-wing, and that the sector receives the full amount of the subsidy allowed. Then, incumbent PM Boyko Borissov took the side of farmers. Then, I explained that the parameters set by the EU are principally unfavourable for Bulgarian agricultural producers. It is not normal for domestic farmers to get a 25% subsidy, while those in Poland get 75%. The problems with the absorption of EU funds also have a negative impact on the industry and the incumbent Government has not done well in this area.

- Is the Government winning or losing from its firm stance against the protesters?
- It definitely loses. No government can win from such a position. We have the experience of two large-scale strikes during the tripartite coalition government – those of farmers and of teachers. The Cabinet can only win if it holds adequate negotiations with the protesters. Being in the government means expressing and defending the interests of at least some of the people. The incumbent Cabinet has no adequate position protecting the interests of people – neither in the case of the pension reform, nor in the case of the farmers or the Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ). I’ll give you BDZ as an example. If the money invested in roads and highways during the last two years alone were directed to BDZ, the present situation would be different. Other countries improve their railway transport first because it is cheapest and ensures mobility for all people. Investments in motorways come next. There are priorities to be respected. People are not interested in highways, the more so considering the fact that not a single entire motorway has been built for the last 22 years.

- Which seat, figuratively speaking, will President Georgi Parvanov occupy during the Congress of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) – in the first or the last row? What policy do you expect the recently elected Head of State Rosen Plevneliev to follow?
- If President Georgi Parvanov wants to reassume the leadership post in BSP, he will sit in the front row. But if he wants to act behind the scenes, he will sit in the centre. As to Rosen Plevneliev, I think he will repeat the behaviour of some ministers in the Cabinet – at the beginning he may not really know how to behave, but he will gradually learn.

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