Bulgaria's Borissov Calls for Suspension of Media Grants Amid Budget Controversy
Boyko Borissov, leader of GERB, escalated his criticism of Bulgarian media outlets receiving grants today, calling for the suspension of such funding
During the past summer outgoing Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov suggested that upon returning to the Bulgarian Socialist Party after the end of his second term, he will work for its opening up to "new and strong coalition partners."
This has occasioned speculations to the effect that Bulgaria's strongest opposition party - the Socialists - might try to move closer to their current chief political adversaries, the ruling center-right GERB party, chaired by Bulgaria's PM Boyko Borisov.
A move that, until recently, seemed unbelievable - and still does.
If we however take into account he already known, albeit not officially disclosed aspirations of Parvanov to reclaim the leadership in the Socialist Party from current leader Sergey Stanishev, this hypothetical topic appears worth at least considering.
At the Tuesday awarding of VP Angel Marin with Bulgaria's highest state distinction, just 12 days before the end of his term, Parvanov found some unusually warm words about the inimical Borisov cabinet, including Minister of Defense Anyu Angelov, with whom he had conflicted more than once.
"I am very moved, for this medal expresses the common will of the Bulgarian institutions and I want to expressly state my gratitude to theCouncil of Ministers and to Minister of Defense Anyu Angelov in particular."
Does Parvanov really want to get closer to GERB? And if yes, how pertinent would such a move be?
Are BSP and GERB ready to take up on the disappointment of their voters from this development? And what would be the consequences for Bulgarian political life of this new blurring of principles and de-authentification of political actors?
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.
The term “Iron Curtain” was not coined by Winston Churchill, but it was he who turned it into one of the symbols of the latter part of the twentieth century by using it in his famous Fulton speech of 1946.
Hardly anything could be said in defense of the new government's ideological profile, which is quite blurry; at the same time much can be disputed about its future "pro-European" stance.
Look who is lurking again behind the corner – the tandem of Advent International and Deutsche Bank, respectively the buyer of the Bulgarian Telecom Company in 2004 and the advisor of the Bulgarian government in the sweetest deal of the past decade, seem t
We have seen many times this circus which is being played out during the entire week and it only shows one thing - there is no need of a caretaker government in Bulgaria.
You have certainly noticed how many times President Rosen Plevneliev used the phrase “a broad-minded person” referring to almost every member of his caretaker government.
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