Bulgaria is shaking with protest rallies for over a week now, after the Parliament passed the amendments to the controversial Forestry Act in a demonstration that those elected to rule the country have no idea how to do so.

The rallies against the legislation and the government- and business-instigated counter protests in support of it, the negotiations between the two sides, the presidential veto, the statements of ruling officials, and the information blackout by some media can be used as a handbook of don'ts in the rules of democratic lawmaking:

Don't attempt to pass lobbyist amendments with the hope they will fly once again without anyone noticing. Generations change and advance their ideas.

Don't turn your backs to Sofia being unable to enjoy skiing all winter and respond only to huge street pressure.

Don't begin to respect opposing public opinion after upholding laws.

Don't pass laws and later praise the President for vetoing them.

Don't laud Arab Spring revolutions and condemn your owns as benefiting organized crime.

Don't oppose different groups of your country's citizens with staged protests. Someone, many actually, will interview participants in the latter and all will hear them say they are rallying "because the mayor said so."

Don't manipulate media – there is free market competition, internet, Facebook...

Don't make a written law into a law to be obeyed only on the Prime Minister's order.

Otherwise, you are far, far away from European development of Bulgaria, from being citizens, from statesmanship, and actually from any democracy. Democracy does not have lookalikes.

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