17024 | 14 March 2026 | 14:54

The punishment for parties who betray the trust of citizens and their voters should not be the decision to "not vote for them, better go fishing." On the contrary. The ballot is a weapon when used in mass

 The 51st National Assembly began its journey towards history much earlier than the end of its four-year constitutional mandate. It is not by chance. It leaves unpleasant memories, an element of the toxic political atmosphere over the last year. A comparison with the first parliament after the Change of 1989 - the Grand National Assembly, which drafted and approved the Constitution, clearly shows that the institution is degrading.

 The Grand National Assembly had experienced lawyers, prominent public figures, and intellectual giants such as Valeri Petrov, Leda Mileva, Anzhel Vagenshtayn, and many others. In the 51st National Assembly, party members and showmen dominate, impersonating politicians, transient passengers in high politics - today they have a project, tomorrow - probably not. Today they are on lists, tomorrow - they may be hardly...

 Our representatives in the National Assembly had a clear goal - to outline a future marked by justice, morality, independent institutions, and accountability through constitutional texts. The current ones seem to have aimed at dismantling any future for Bulgarian society. Shouting, of course, the opposite.

 In the last three months since the regular government resigned, parliament has become a disgrace to itself. A shame for the Bulgarian nation. A punishment for the protests, perhaps?

 At the elections for the Seventh Grand National Assembly, there was civic enthusiasm. Notice that nearly seven million (6,976,620) Bulgarian citizens with the right to vote cast their ballots. At the elections for the 51st National Assembly, only 2,570,620 people went to the polls.

 With this downward trend, it is estimated that if 3.5 million vote at the upcoming elections, it will be a colossal success. Space has been an actively discussed topic in recent years, with a strong influence on the outcomes. This is why the 52nd National Assembly may be decent, which, by the way, depends not only on the parties, the caretaker government, or the interior minister. It also depends on the voters, who should reflect not only on the last day before the vote.

 In order to avoid a high voter turnout with the potential to bring about change, the current parliamentarians did their best. They gave everything they had, demonstrating the ability to do all sorts of tricks, and repelling citizens from politics.

 It started with a false start and ended in disgrace.

 In terms of business, the most important thing that the members of parliament did once again was to amend the Electoral Code at the last moment and without guarantees that the electoral process would become fairer.

 The National Assembly, which is already on the way out, started very poorly - for the first time a decision of the Constitutional Court changed its composition, because it partially annulled the election results. For a country that is a member of the European Union, this is unprecedented. It shows that in the years since 1989, talk of fair elections has been false, and measures against manipulation and vote-buying have been a delusion. It turns out that stories of fair elections have only masked the process of their gradual compromise. How many times have we voted over the years - with color-coded ballots, proportional representation, with and without preferences, with machines and without machines... And what? Nothing! Nothing in a positive direction, otherwise the grip on dependent and vulnerable groups becomes stronger and the approach - more brutal. The fight against buying and selling votes is a simulation, like that of corruption at the highest levels. Corruption and bought votes are inseparably linked.

 In light of recent changes after the resignation of "Zheliazkov", President Iliana Yotova imposed a veto. Surprisingly proposed by "Revival", they foresee that in countries outside of the European Union, the number of polling stations should be limited to 20. The party of Kostadinov argues that this is a way to hinder the organization of the vote in Turkey for MRF-NB, but the truth may appear differently. In the parliamentary elections of 2024, 29,496 ballots were cast for ARF, 12,961 for MRF- NB, and a distant third was CC-DB with only 1,009 votes. However, overall from abroad, the coalition has 29,944 votes, surpassed only by ARF with a total of 32,617 votes. The proposal of "Revival" might harm MRF- NEW BEGINNING, but it hits BSP and CC-DB much harder.

 And that's not the most significant part. The exercise of citizens' voting rights from the large Bulgarian diaspora in USA and UK is significantly hindered. Our so-called political elite is cutting off one of the strong connections of our compatriots with their homeland - to be involved in what is happening in Bulgaria.

 The veto of Yotova was overcome thanks to votes from BSP, despite the position of the new leader to support it.

 In summary, with regards to the elections, the parliament started with a false start and ended with shame. The shameful part is that they are not ashamed of their actions.

 Another notion is being confirmed - that Bulgaria is an unstable country, governed by the facade of democracy, as evidenced by the arbitrary and frequent changes in laws, with the Constitution being undermined during the "cobbled" government.

 Parliaments in weak democracies seem to be the same as the Bulgarian one - fragmented and noisy to an unbearable level, with unprincipled decisions, double-edged policies, dependent MPs and parliamentary groups. A parliament that alienates citizens from politics, and this seems to be the goal of the fading formations.

 The party of Slavi Trifonov is very diligent in this direction. In December, a parliamentary record was reported when the session of the Energy Commission, led by Pavela Mitova (There is Such a People), lasted only 26 seconds on a key case - the special manager of "Lukoil". The same commission these days risks not receiving 440 million euros from the Operational Program for Environment, because it cannot find the time and quorum for the necessary legislative changes.

 However, for example, the legal commission underwent a 13-hour marathon in January for the controversial and scandalous amendments to the Electoral Code.

 It was precisely There is Such a People who introduced the most absurd amendments to the Electoral Code, which the major formations do not make, in order not to expose themselves. It is good for the party that Slavi Trifonov has blocked the possibility of comments under his posts on social media. It is not good that the microphone of Toshko Yordanov is not blocked on the podium in the National Assembly, from where statements such as "you and your whole clique are pedophiles and support pedophiles" (referring to Yavor Bozhankov and CC-DB) can be heard. Or from Stanislav Balabanov, who speaks of "sectarians devoid of normal human feelings".  

 Chalga policy has taken over in the National Assembly. In the Bulgarian parliament, unfortunately, opponents do not fight with arguments or political ideas, but with terrible insults, which ideally correspond with texts from the Criminal Code.

 Six votes of no confidence have already been cast in the history of the 51st National Assembly, the last of which was voted after the announced resignation of the "Zhelyazkov" cabinet. All of them – unsuccessful. The budget committee meeting, which was sabotaged by the leader of CC Asen Vassilev with the insistent refrain that it will not happen this way, is also underway. A meeting that triggered protests to bring down the government. Scenes of verbal and physical aggression emerge. The leader of MUH Radostin Vassilev was quick when he stabbed MP from MRF Gyunay Daloolu in the chest. And it continues.

 And what the MPs of the 7th Great National Assembly created – a balanced, albeit imperfect Constitution, the last parliaments managed to destroy. The last revision of the fundamental law, which allows the parliament to convene despite the resignation of the regular government and upcoming elections, turned against the National Assembly like a boomerang. At the very least, because it tempts the deputies to become a disgrace.

 In order to stop the process of degradation of parliament, the activity on April 19th must be significant, and the demands of voters - high. The punishment for parties that betray the trust of citizens and their voters should not be a decision in the direction of "I will not vote for them, I will go for fish". Quite the opposite. The ballot is a weapon when used en masse. 

 From here, the next parliament could be the chance to restore balance in the Constitution, independence of institutions, mutual control of authorities, and the dignity of the parliamentary republic.

 A chance, but unfortunately, perhaps the last chance?