How many Times were Diplomatic Relations between Russia and Bulgaria Severed
If we look at history, there are not many cases in which relations between Bulgaria and Russia at the state level were as bad as they are at the moment.
Me, Myself and Democracy
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Photo by Yuliana Nikolova (Sofia Photo Agency)
By Milena Hristova
Politicians will not soon stop pretending that Bulgaria is a flourishing democracy. Not even after the Economist analyst unit ranked it as one of the fifty-four countries with "flawed democracies" in the world. The average Bulgarian, unfortunately, turned mistrustful shortly after the collapse of communism in 1989.
Ask a Bulgarian how he feels and everyone will tell you they are committed democrats. Committed, yet frustrated by the way the democratic institutions work in practice.
As an average Bulgarian, I can tell you the frustration partly reflects economic worries - fears of being made redundant, fears that the income does not cover basic needs, fears that democracy is not creating quickly a fairer society, fears that a leftist government has shifted even further in the right its economic opinion.
As a journalist, I can interpret the low turnout in the presidential elections as a sign of a developed democracy, where the people don't expect any major ups and downs. Yet it was namely during the elections that major media outlets failed a democratic society's test for professionalism and objectivity.
A Russian cynical joke democracy in Bulgaria may be not, but this month the country managed to revive memories of its recent past - as the closest Moscow's former satellite and the slowest to throw light on its secret agents. And threw a huge shadow on its democratic image. The delay in making public the death of the head of Bulgaria's Communist era secret police files led to accusations of a cover up, caused a furore in the foreign press and hinted at a maxim - the rule of law is that those who rule are the law.
Small wonder our hopes are pinned on the EU - to catch up with the old, developed EU members not only in civil liberties, but also in political freedoms, political participation and political culture.
Politicians will not soon stop pretending that Bulgaria is a flourishing democracy. Not even after the Economist analyst unit ranked it as one of the fifty-four countries with "flawed democracies" in the world. The average Bulgarian, unfortunately, turned mistrustful shortly after the collapse of communism in 1989.
Ask a Bulgarian how he feels and everyone will tell you they are committed democrats. Committed, yet frustrated by the way the democratic institutions work in practice.
As an average Bulgarian, I can tell you the frustration partly reflects economic worries - fears of being made redundant, fears that the income does not cover basic needs, fears that democracy is not creating quickly a fairer society, fears that a leftist government has shifted even further in the right its economic opinion.
As a journalist, I can interpret the low turnout in the presidential elections as a sign of a developed democracy, where the people don't expect any major ups and downs. Yet it was namely during the elections that major media outlets failed a democratic society's test for professionalism and objectivity.
A Russian cynical joke democracy in Bulgaria may be not, but this month the country managed to revive memories of its recent past - as the closest Moscow's former satellite and the slowest to throw light on its secret agents. And threw a huge shadow on its democratic image. The delay in making public the death of the head of Bulgaria's Communist era secret police files led to accusations of a cover up, caused a furore in the foreign press and hinted at a maxim - the rule of law is that those who rule are the law.
Small wonder our hopes are pinned on the EU - to catch up with the old, developed EU members not only in civil liberties, but also in political freedoms, political participation and political culture.
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