“How can fellow Europeans perceive of a leader of a country, which is still drowning in corruption; where media freedom, according to Reporters without Borders, is lower than in countries such as Mali or Angola; where journalists and oppositions leaders, or even elected Members of the European Parliament, are threatened; where mafia structures are still prevalent? Isn’t this a failure of the leader? The Bulgarian people deserve better.”
English
Clare Daly: Change comes from people, not politicians
A week ago, Irish MEP Clare Daly caused a media storm during the LIBE hearing, when she sharply criticized Commission Vice President Vera Joùrova for the EU’s lack of action on Bulgaria – the poorest and most corrupt member of the Union. Daly is one of the most vocal MEPs in Brussels’s hemicycle, and among the most active Irish European representatives. Our interview takes place less than an hour after Ursula von der Leyen’s State of the Union Speech.
MEP Sophia in ‘t Veld: Do not think that the EU doesn’t care about Bulgaria
In what way addressing ongoing protests in Bulgaria reveals key deficiencies in the way Europe functions politically, what can we expect from the new Report on the Rule of Law, and does Brussels actually know what is going on in the poorest and most corrupt member of the EU. An interview of Joanna Elmy with MEP Sophia in ‘t Veld.
Bulgarian Politics: a Short Guide for Foreign Correspondents
Dear foreign correspondents,
It is difficult to navigate the Bulgarian political scene without prior knowledge. From an outsider’s perspective, it might seem as if the political Left and the Left-wing President are challenging the conservative nationalist right-wing coalition government as well as the party which represents the ethnic Turks in the country… A good starting point for understanding the situation would be Rule Number 1: Nothing is as it seems in Bulgaria.
Orthodox Fundamentalism in a Time of Pandemic
On March 10, Metropolitan bishop Gavrail of Lovech announced that the Easter services in Bulgaria this year would be held as usual. Why? Because unlike other types of congregations, church services and liturgies are sacraments. This statement seems to be sufficient reason for the Metropolitan bishop to claim that one cannot catch the coronavirus during mass.