Politics in Bulgaria is Now Different

Novinite Insider » EDITORIAL | February 22, 2005, Tuesday // 00:00

By Ivelina Puhaleva

The history of modern Bulgarian policy has turned up a new page on the background of otherwise normal course of political events. The happenings from the last two weeks have brought to light the new characteristics of domestic politics.

First of all, Bulgaria bid farewell to bipolar political model. The establishment of the so-called Liberal Alliance signed by the incumbents' Simeon II National Movement, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms and the New Time party made the opposition's right and left face the gloomy future of traditional left-centre-right political specter.

Secondly, the political approach has proved to be a much more powerful gear than the business one. The political re-shape of the parliamentary majority and the cabinet was made at the cost of expelling - hopefully temporary - of a mighty and prospective investor in the face of British American Tobacco just because the tobacco monopoly deal had the bad chance to near its wrap-up six months ahead of general elections.

Thirdly, political loyalty showed up its double face. Whilst it was incredibly possible for a handful of young and ambitious MPs to seduce the opposition play at their strings to win a happily return to their mother party and leader - Simeon Saxe-Coburg, two crucial political figures fell victims of the political storm, which came and went away like a summer storm.

The apparently off-logics dismissal of Ognyan Gerdzhikov from the position of parliamentary speaker, voted by the currently coalesced New Timers could not spare the professor of law lots of sincere praises and admirable applauses from both party fellowmen and opposition.

Two weeks later, Simeon Saxe-Coburg removed from office one of his most successful ministers, a move seen by many as succumb in front of the junior allies. Economy Minister Lidia Shuleva, known as a pioneer of the business-like approach in politics, was obviously sacrificed for more sacred purposes of the party - a second mandate to be won in the upcoming elections. So far as she was appointed chief of the SIINM elections campaign, Shuleva could bid on broader horizons if they win.

READ MORE about Lidia Shuleva in the Faces section

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