Political Impasse in Bulgaria | May 2021
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Load more
Recommended publications
-
Alternative Report on the Implementation of Bulgaria's
Alternative report on the Implementation of Bulgaria’s obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child Bulgarian Helsinki Committee June, 2015 0 TABLE OF CONTENTS: Introduction………………………………………………………………………………...…….6 1. Para. 6 and 14: Monitoring Body…………………………………………..……………..….7 2. Para. 13: Unified National Plan of Action………………………………………………….10 3. Para. 9: Harmonizing of National Legislation with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child………………………………………………………………...................................... .13 4. Para. 16-17: Allocation of Resources…………………………………….…….……………………………………............13 4.1 General Overview of the Allocation of Resources…………………………………..………………………………………………….. 13 4.2 Allocation of Resources for Social Assistance………………………………………..…...15 4.3 Allocation of Resources for Education………………………………………………...…..18 4.4 Allocation of Resources for Health Care.............................................................................21 4.5 Allocation of Resources for Roma Integration…………………………………………....23 5. Para. 18-19: Data Collection……………………………………………………………..….28 6. Para. 10-11: Coordination…………………………………………………………………...29 7. Para. 20-21: Dissemination of the Convention and Training……………………...……...30 8. Para. 22-23: Cooperation of Government with Civil Society………………………..........31 9. Para. 24-25: Non-discrimination………………………………………….…………...…....32 10. Para. 26-27: Respect for the Views of the Child…………………………..…………… 33 10.1 Child Hearings with Children in Civil and Criminal Justice Proceedings………………………………………………………………………….…...........34 -
The Magnitsky Law and the Rico
SSRG International Journal of Economics and Management Studies Volume 8 Issue 7, 6-20, July, 2021 ISSN: 2393 – 9125 /doi:10.14445/23939125/IJEMS-V8I7P102 © 2021 Seventh Sense Research Group® The Magnitsky Law and The Rico Law - The Guarantee For The Fight Against Corruption And The Mafia In Bulgaria And The European Union - The Example of The Attempts To Steal Private Land Through Concession, Theft of Land And Theft of Land Through State Structures Lord Prof. PhD PhD Momtchil Dobrev-Halachev Scientific Research Institute Dobrev & Halachev.JSC., Sofia.Bulgaria Received Date: 17 May 2021 Revised Date: 22 June 2021 Accepted Date: 05 July 2021 Abstract - Lord prof PhD PhD Momtchil Dobrev- The fight against the mafia and corruption in Bulgaria Halachev and Prof. Mariola Garibova-DObreva and in the European Commission and the European Union developed 2006 “Theory of degree of democracy” and does not yield results because the mafia is at the highest “Theory of degree of justice / injustice /” based on their state and European level and does what it wants. This practice in court, prosecutor's office, state. Prof. Momchil mafia holds courts, prosecutors and all kinds of state Dobrev has been creating Theory of Corruption, "Theory institutions and the latter carry out its orders. of the Mafia," Theory of Mafia "," Financial Banking Resource Technological Mafia Materialism "since 2003" 1.1 Introduce the Problem The problem with the mafia and corruption in Bulgaria Keywords - Crise, mafia, corruption, Magnitsky law, and in the European Union and the European Commission RICO law, finance. is huge. We have repeatedly applied evidence of the scale . -
Bulgarian Marshall Center Alumni Book
Marshall Center Graduates from Republic of Bulgaria Capt Sasho Aleksandrov Language: EN CISS Class: 03-7 LC 2003-7, CPT, Company Commander, Motor Transport, MOD. 2006: Student, Military Academy Defense and Staff College, Rakovsky. As of: April 2008. EMail: [email protected] Tel:359 658 2 11 27 FAX: Ms. Diana Aleksandrova Language: EN CISS Class: 06-1 LPASS 2006-1, Desk Officer, USA and Canada, International Cooperation Directorate, MOD. March 2007: Deputy Chief, Protocol Department. August 2008: Chief, Protocol, State Agency for National Security. As of: April 2009. EMail: [email protected] Tel:359 2 92 20 492 FAX: 359 2 981 58 58 COL Petar Aleksiev Language: EN CISS Class: 07-6 SES 2007-6, COL, Director, Defense Information Service Directorate, MOD. As of: August 2007. EMail: [email protected] Tel:00359 29 227 390 FAX: Mr. Toni Aleksiev Language: RU CISS Class: 08-1 EPASS 2008-1, Head of Criminal Police Group, Police. As of: February 2008. EMail: [email protected] Tel:+056 856 127 FAX: Capt Stoyan Alexandrov Language: EN CISS Class: 99-2 LC 1999-2, CPT, Tank Company Commander, Sofia Garrison, MOD. February 2005: Chief of Staff, 2nd Tank Bn, 9 Bde, Gorna Bania. 2008: Company Commander, 5 Bde, Pleven. As of: April 2009. EMail: Tel:359 2 922 8417 FAX: COL (Ret.) Ilian Alipiev Language: RU CISS Class: 02-4 EP 2002-4, COL, Chief, Counterintelligence Department, MOD. Retired. February 2005: Chief, Government Reserves Agency. As of: February 2005. EMail: [email protected] Tel:359 2 921 0284 FAX: Page 1 of 47 Marshall Center Graduates from Republic of Bulgaria MAJ Hristo Anastasov Language: EN CISS Class: 01-3 LC 2001-3, MAJ, Deputy Chief, Aviation Equipment and Weapons, Unit 26930, MOD. -
Bulgaria 2018
Monitoring the Right to Free Assembly Pavleta Alexieva Aylin Yumerova Margarita Kaloyanova Radina Banova Nadya Shabani 2017 Bulgaria 2018 #right2freeassembly A TIME TO PROTEST: THE RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF PEACEFUL ASSEMBLY IN BULGARIA Research report on citizens’ right to freedom of peaceful assembly Bulgarian Center for Not-for-Profit Law, 2017 - 2018 “... a group of shrill women who wanted to capitalize on Authors: Pavleta Alexieva, Aylin Yumerova, Margarita Kaloyanova, Radina Banova (Bulgarian Center their children, manipulating society, bringing these – presumably for Not-for-Profit Law) sick – children out in the scorching sun and in the rain, without a Editor: Nadya Shabani (Bulgarian Center for Not-for-Profit Law) hint of a motherly feeling of care for them...”, Published in May 2019 spoken by Valeri Simeonov, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic and Demographic Policy in the Third Government of Boyko This publication has been developed within the framework of the “Support to Civil Society Organizations Borissov, on occasion of the protest of mothers of children with Continued and Expanded” Project implemented by the Bulgarian Center for Not-for-Profit Law and disabilities in 2018. financed by America for Bulgaria Foundation. The content and views expressed in this publication belong to the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of America for Bulgaria Foundation. The monitoring report was conducted as part of the ‘Monitoring the Right to Free Assembly’ regional The Bulgarian Center for Not-for-Profit Law (BCNL) is a foundation registered under project, managed by the European Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ECNL) The project is made possible the Bulgarian law in 2001 as a non-profit public-benefit legal entity. -
Zornitsa Markova the KTB STATE
Zornitsa Markova THE KTB STATE Sofia, 2017 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or express written consent from Iztok-Zapad Publishing House. transmitted in any form or by any means without first obtaining © Zornitsa Markova, 2017 © Iztok-Zapad Publishing House, 2017 ISBN 978-619-01-0094-2 zornitsa markova THE KTB STATE CHRONICLE OF THE LARGEST BANK FAILURE IN BULGARIA — THE WORKINGS OF A CAPTURED STATE THAT SOLD OUT THE PUBLIC INTEREST FOR PRIVATE EXPEDIENCY CONTENTS LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS / 12 EDITOR’S FOREWORD / 13 SUMMARY / 15 READER’S GUIDE TO THE INVESTIGATION / 21 1. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND / 23 DEVELOPMENTS IN THE BULGARIAN BANKING SECTOR THAT PRE-DATE KTB ..........................................................25 Headed for a Banking Crisis .................................................................................................. 26 Scores of Banks Close Their Doors................................................................................... 29 First Private Bank — Backed by the Powerful, Favoured by the Government ......................................................... 33 Criminal Syndicates and Their Banks — the Birth of a State within the State ...........................................................................35 A Post-Crisis Change of Players ..........................................................................................37 A FRESH START FOR THE FLEDGLING KTB ..................................................... 40 KTB SALE ..........................................................................................................................................42 -
Governing Without an Opposition: the Aftermath
A long-standing view among political scientists is that less fractionalized party systems produce Europe Review more stable democracy and deliver socially better results. Putting theory and practice together, the question that remains is, ‘is that always the case?’. Theoretically speaking, policy is more easily passed and policy choices can be expected to be more stable in the long run when supported by a united majority, yet, there can be situations in which the range of policy options is compromised due to the OVERNING fact that the political elite governing a state is just G not diverse enough. The results from the lack of a true political opposition are political instability and WITHOUT AN directional confusion both within and outside the state. Similar situation is revealing itself currently OPPOSITION: in Bulgaria, where after the parliamentary election held in May this year, the country’s government and its likely political choices, have taken a 180° THE AFTERMATH degree turn. Political crisis, radical change of direction (perhaps more for the outside world than for those OF THE EARLY currently leading the country), and once again a three-legged coalition – these are the PARLIAMENTARY characteristics of the current political situation in the country. The reason for calling early elections, ELECTION IN which were originally due at the end of the summer, was the resignation of the Borisov Cabinet earlier the same year. Ex-prime minister BULGARIA Boyko Borisov announced his cabinet resignation after nearly two weeks of spiraling social protests1 in which thousands of people demonstrated against the level of corruption, the lack of law and By Dr Ekaterina R. -
Framing and Raiding
Framing and Raiding Radosveta Vassileva 2021-06-09T10:54:17 In early June 2021, Bulgaria’s Prosecutor’s Office raided the Ministry of Interior and raised charges against a senior employee. According to the Minister of Interior Boyko Rashkov, the goal of the Prosecutor’s Office is to sabotage an inquiry into illegal wiretapping. The senior employee who was charged indeed participated in the inquiry. A similar raid against the Bulgarian Presidency in July 2020 during which two of the President’s advisors were arrested sparked mass protests demanding the resignation of both Borissov’s government and General Prosecutor Ivan Geshev which lasted for months. Bulgaria’s Prosecutor’s Office is a Kafkaesque institution rather than a mere threat against the rule of law. Its crushing yet unrestrained authority is used as a weapon against the opponents of the status quo and a laundry detergent for corrupt politicians. Wiretapping the Opposition In democracies, wiretapping may be authorized under strict conditions to help investigate serious crime. The Law on Special Intelligence Means (LSIM) provides detailed instructions about the relevant procedures. However, the law in the books and the law in action severely differ. From the Yaneva Gate scandal which shook Bulgaria in 2015, citizens learned that judges authorized wiretapping without even reading the case materials and satisfied all whims of the Prosecutor’s Office. In the current controversy, Minister of Interior Boyko Rashkov confirmed that many opposition politicians, including the current Prime Minister Stefan Yanev, had been illegally wiretapped after the start of the mass protests last year. He also disclosed that he had received information that DANS (Bulgaria’s secret services) were destroying proof related to these severe breaches of the law. -
“Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria” and Slavi Trifonov's
GENERAL ELECTIONS IN BULGARIA 11TH JULY 2021 Boyko Borissov's “Citizens for European Elections monitor European Development of Bulgaria” Corinne Deloy and Slavi Trifonov's “Such a People Exist” neck and neck after the parliamentary elections RESULT Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB, Turnout was low. It totalled 38.0%. There are several which means "shield" in Bulgarian), led by former Prime reasons for this: the holidays, the increase in the number Minister (2009-2013, 2014-2017 and 2017-2021) Boyko of voting machines which may have discouraged some Borissov, and Such a People Exist (Ima takuv narod, voters, especially the older ones, but also, and above ITN), a populist party founded by singer and TV all, the weariness of Bulgarians with their political class. presenter Slavi Trifonov finished in a tight race in the 11 Finally, the high abstention rate is also the result of a July parliamentary elections in Bulgaria. ITN won decline in vote buying according to Parvan Simeonov, 24.08% of the vote and 65 MPs, while GERB won director of the Gallup International Institute in Bulgaria. 23.51% of the vote and 63 MPs. The Socialist Party (BSP) led by Korneliya Ninova took 13.51% of the vote, followed by the liberal coalition Democratic Bulgaria led by Hristo Ivanov, which includes 3 parties (Yes Bulgaria, Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria and the Greens), which won 12.56%. The Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS), a party representing the Turkish minority, led by Mustafa Karadayi, obtained 10.66% of the vote. Finally, the coalition Get up Bulgaria ! Mafia, get out! (Izpravi se BG! Moutri van!) of former ombudsman Maya Manolova and the Poisoned Trio (the name given by journalist Sasho Dikov to the trio comprising lawyer Nikolai Hadjigenov, sculptor Velislav Minekov and public relations specialist and former radio journalist Arman Babikyan) secured 5.06% of the vote and will be represented in the next National Assembly (Narodno sabranie), the only chamber of the Parliament. -
Bulgaria: the Greatest Vacillations Simeon Djankov March 1, 2014 In
Bulgaria: The Greatest Vacillations Simeon Djankov March 1, 2014 In one of the most famous economics books, Capitalism, Socialism, and Democracy, Joseph Schumpeter (1942) predicted the inevitable collapse of capitalism. I grew up in the last two decades of socialism in Bulgaria and as students we were repeatedly told that socialism would prevail in the whole world, and that in Bulgaria it would soon enter its ultimate form, communism. Then everything would be free and nobody would have to work, unless they wanted to. A strange thing to tell children. Luckily, few believed. In the summer of 1989 I finished high-school and took the entrance exams in international relations at the Karl Marx Institute of Economics in Sofia. In my graduating high-school class was also the grandson of the Secretary General of the Bulgarian Communist Party Todor Zhivkov. He, too, fancied a career in diplomacy. This was a problem. There were rigid quotas for entering international studies – for fear of students taking off to the West after graduation – and in that particular year there was only one slot allotted for diplomacy. As luck had it, Zhivkov Junior failed the exams and did what most offspring of totalitarian leaders had done before – went to study in Switzerland. And I entered the Karl Marx Institute. I did not stay long at the Karl Marx Institute, and neither did its name. In December 1988 during a speech at the United Nations Council in New York, Mikhail Gorbachev had declared that the Soviet Union would no longer intervene in the international affairs of other countries from the socialist bloc. -
25 Years Freedom in Bulgaria
25 YEARS FREEDOM IN BULGARIA CIVIC EDUCATION | TRANSITION | BERLIN WALL | PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA | FREEDOM | 1989 | INTERPRETATIONS | OPEN LESSONS | MYTHS | LEGENDS | TOTALITARIAN PAST | DESTALINIZATION | BELENE CAMPS | GEORGI MARKOV | FUTURE | CITIZENS | EAST | WEST | SECURITY SERVICE | ECOGLASNOST | CIVIL DUTY AWARD | ANNIVERSARY | COMMUNISM | CAPITALISM | ARCHIVES | REMEMBRANCE| DISSIDENTS | ZHELYO ZHELEV | RADIO FREE EUROPE | VISEGRAD FOUR | HISTORY| POLITICAL STANDARTS | RULE OF LAW | FREE MEDIA | NOSTALGIA | REGIME| MEMORIES | RATIONALIZATION | HUMAN RIGHTS | HOPE | NOW AND THEN | DISCUSSING | VISUAL EVIDENCES | REPRESSIONS | HERITAGE | INTELLECTUAL ELITE | IRON CURTAIN | CENCORSHIP | GENERATIONS | LESSONS | TRANSFORMATION | TODOR ZHIVKOV | COLD WAR | INSTITUTIONS | BEGINNING | INFORMATION | RECONCILIATION | FACTS | EXPERIENCES | CONSENSUS | DISTORTIONS | MARKET ECONOMY | REFORM | UNEMPLOYMENT | THE BIG EXCURSION | IDEOLOGY | PUBLIC OPINION | NATIONAL INITIATIVE | TRUTH | ELECTIONS years ee B 25 years free Bulgaria is a civic initiative under the auspices of the President of Bulgaria, organized by Sofia Platform Fr ulgaria years CONTENT ee B Fr ulgaria CIVIC EDUCATION | TRANSITION | BERLIN WALL | PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA | FREEDOM | 1989 | INTERPRETATIONS | OPEN LESSONS | MYTHS | LEGENDS | TOTALITARIAN PAST | 1. 25 Years Freedom in Bulgaria 02 DESTALINIZATION | BELENE CAMPS | GEORGI MARKOV | FUTURE | CITIZENS | EAST | WEST | SECURITY 2. Remembrance and Culture 04 SERVICE | ECOGLASNOST | CIVIL DUTY AWARD -
Bulgaria by Maria Spirova
Bulgaria by Maria Spirova Capital: Sofia Population: 7.3 million GNI/capita, PPP: US$15,450 Source: The data above are drawn from the World Bank’sWorld Development Indicators 2014. Nations in Transit Ratings and Averaged Scores 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Electoral Process 1.75 1.75 1.75 1.75 1.75 1.75 1.75 2.00 2.00 2.25 Civil Society 2.75 2.75 2.50 2.50 2.50 2.50 2.50 2.50 2.50 2.25 Independent Media 3.50 3.25 3.50 3.50 3.75 3.75 3.75 3.75 4.00 4.00 National Democratic Governance 3.50 3.00 3.00 3.00 3.25 3.25 3.50 3.50 3.50 3.75 Local Democratic Governance 3.50 3.00 3.00 3.00 3.00 3.00 3.00 3.00 3.00 3.00 Judicial Framework and Independence 3.25 3.00 2.75 2.75 3.00 3.00 3.00 3.25 3.25 3.25 Corruption 4.00 3.75 3.75 3.50 4.00 4.00 4.00 4.00 4.00 4.25 Democracy Score 3.18 2.93 2.89 2.86 3.04 3.04 3.07 3.14 3.18 3.25 NOTE: The ratings reflect the consensus of Freedom House, its academic advisers, and the author(s) of this report. The opinions expressed in this report are those of the author(s). The ratings are based on a scale of 1 to 7, with 1 representing the highest level of democratic progress and 7 the lowest. -
Psychological Aspects of Civic Protests in Bulgaria
Psychological Thought psyct.psychopen.eu | 2193-7281 Theoretical Analyses Psychological Aspects of Civic Protests in Bulgaria Petya Stoyanova Pachkova* a [a] Department of Philosophical and Political Sciences, South-West University “Neofit Rilski", Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria. Abstract The article analyzes some aspects of the role of the political psychology in the sphere of civil society. Civic activism requires adequate psychological motivation and qualities of the participants and leaders of civic events. Their absence is a factor for ineffectiveness of different types of civic activities, including the protest activity. Keywords: psychological motivation, psychological manipulation, protest Psychological Thought, 2016, Vol. 9(2), 129–136, doi:10.5964/psyct.v9i2.189 Received: 2016-04-27. Accepted: 2016-09-02. Published (VoR): 2016-10-28. Handling Editor: Irina Roncaglia, The National Autistic Society (NAS) - Sybil Elgar, London, United Kingdom *Corresponding author at: South-West University “Neofit Rilski”, 66, Ivan Mihailov Str., 2700 Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria. E-mail: [email protected] This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Introduction The article was written on the base of analysis of a lot of public protests in Bulgaria during the transition period since 1989. Dozens (76) of participants in them were interviewed with the method “unstandardized interview” (more information about these protests and the interviewed participants in them can be found in Pachkova, 2015). The author participated in more than 20 protests and conducted included surveillance during her participation.