Political Scientist: Public Distrust in Bulgarian Politicians Exacerbates Health System Crisis

Politics | March 17, 2021, Wednesday // 12:47
Bulgaria: Political Scientist: Public Distrust in Bulgarian Politicians Exacerbates Health System Crisis

The pandemic clearly demonstrated that the Bulgarian health system is extremely inadequate, commented before News.bg political scientist Boyan Balev. If not the whole government, then Prime Minister Borissov is responsible for this, because in the last 11 years probably over BGN 50 billion has been poured into this system, and for this money we have too low efficiency coefficient, he added.

“With regard to the government, it must be admitted that, given the current state of the health system and the resources available to it over the last year, it seems that in the general European context of pandemic issues the actions taken so far have been adequate,”Balev believes.

In the current pre-election situation, mistrust in all political forces prevails, and the outcome of the election, he says, is unpredictable. On the brink of the third Covid-19 wave, we find it difficult to accept even softer measures for the simple reason that as a society we cannot endure for much longer some "universal lockdown", according to Boyan Balev.

He added that the problems of the health system come hand-in-hand with the severe problems of our lagging economy. Balev sees deep distrust on the part of the people. As an example, he quoted the recent Gallup International survey, which shows traditionally low levels of public confidence in state institutions. Especially low is the confidence in the executive and legislative authorities and respectively the people who embody them - chairman of parliament and prime minister, Balev commented.

"It is absurd to manage a crisis faced with such low public confidence. People do not trust the institutions and this is one of the main reasons why the majority of Bulgarians still do not want to get vaccinated and do not comply with the measures", said Balev. His prediction is that after the current Astra Zeneca scandal, these suspicions will deepen.

A lack of trust in the institutions also means a lack of confidence in the anti-epidemic measures.

As for the elections, Balev believes that a new government will be difficult to form and will require compromise.

"Paradoxically, political and pandemic crises coinciding in time could be better managed by the President‘s caretaker government. The President is the only figure and institution that enjoys very high public creditand probably Bulgarian citizens will much more comply with measures proposed by him, as well as with a vaccination campaign initiated by his caretaker, although provisional, cabinet,” Boyan Balev thinks.

 


 

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!

Politics » Be a reporter: Write and send your article
Tags: Bulgaria, elections, health system, public confidence

Advertisement
Advertisement
Bulgaria news Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency - www.sofianewsagency.com) is unique with being a real time news provider in English that informs its readers about the latest Bulgarian news. The editorial staff also publishes a daily online newspaper "Sofia Morning News." Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency - www.sofianewsagency.com) and Sofia Morning News publish the latest economic, political and cultural news that take place in Bulgaria. Foreign media analysis on Bulgaria and World News in Brief are also part of the web site and the online newspaper. News Bulgaria