Austrian Der Standard: Borisov Is Organizing a Comeback

Politics » DOMESTIC | August 19, 2014, Tuesday // 14:53
Bulgaria: Austrian Der Standard: Borisov Is Organizing a Comeback Boyko Borisov, former Bulgarian Prime Minister and leader of center-right party GERB, photo by bnr.bg

Austrian daily Der Standard has published an article arguing that Boyko Borisov, former Bulgarian Prime Minister and current leader of the GERB party, is organizing a comeback.

The publication starts with comments on Bulgaria's caretaker government, stressing that it is conspicuous by its numerous layoffs and surprising resignations.

A correspondent for the Austrian daily lists the dismissals made by the interim cabinet in its two weeks in office, including five district governors, the Customs Agency head, two directors of key EU programs, and directors of state-owned energy companies.

The author cites an interview of former President Georgi Parvanov for a morning broadcast on August 18 in which he criticizes the caretaker government for wasting energy on too many different things, instead of focusing on one important topic, namely the organization of the early elections.

"However, even the preparations for these early elections were marked by a political slip-up. A specially appointed Election Minister handed her resignation 48 hours after her appointment. Krasimira Medarova was accused of being too close to the conservative, former ruling party, GERB (Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria) of former Prime Minister Boyko Borisov," the article informs.

"Medarova headed the Central Electoral Commission in the second half of the term in office of Borisov's government, from 2011 to 2013, until it was replaced by the next government, a socialist-led coalition cabinet. Borisov, who is hoping for a comeback after the elections on October 5, has reportedly put the incumbent head of state under pressure, or so the story goes in Sofia. Rosen Plevneliev, a former popular Infrastructure Minister in the Borisov government, formed the caretaker government in early August and it is only following his instructions as the Parliament has been dissolved," the Austrian newspaper states.

"Borisov is trying to set the course for his future government, commentators note. The top-level change at the Bulgarian customs authority is considered an indication of that. Vanyo Tanov, who was reappointed customs chief, was a participant in a wiretapped compromising telephone conversation with Borisov, which was leaked a few years ago," the publication says.

The author, Markus Bernath, goes on to cite an ironic statement of Bivol, a website for investigative journalism:"Congratulations to the protesters who spent a whole year demonstrating in downtown Sofia, in order to get rid of the backroom deals in the country."

"According to a survey, Borissov's GERB currently has 23% of the votes, while the socialists, whose government failed in July after just one year in office, have 16% of the votes. Borisov already threatened Bulgarians that they would be left to starve this winter unless they provided him a sufficient number of votes for a one-party government. However, Borisov also wants to win voters from the Turkish minority. "At least ten posts of Deputy Ministers will go to Muslims," ??he promised, breaking a taboo in Bulgaria. In politics, a division by religion and minority is not made officially," the article says.

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Tags: Boyko Borisov, GERB, Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria, Socialist-led government, early elections, caretaker government, Central Electoral Commission

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