Main focus of Monday, October 16, 2006

Bulgaria in the run-up to the presidential elections

Bulgaria's presidential elections take place on October 22. President Georgi Parvanov, who has earned international respect for his commitment to Bulgaria joining the EU, has good chances of being re-elected. However, there have been shifts in Bulgaria's political landscape in the run-up to its EU accession on January 1, 2007, and here too, as in other Eastern European countries, populism is on the rise.

Süddeutsche Zeitung - Germany

The paper's south-east Europe correspondent Klaus Brill speculates that "in the midst of the process of entry into the EU, Bulgaria is seeing a number of new political groups emerging and underground upheavals that could lead to major changes. "One sign of this is the fact that the second strongest presidential candidate after Parvanov is the national populist Volen Siderov, a former TV journalist who founded the far-right Ataka (Attack) party which, according to recent polls, now has ratings of between 10 and 23 percent." However, current President Georgi Parvanov is still ahead in the polls. He is backed by the three grand coalition parties – the Socialists, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (the Turkish minority party) and the National Movement for Simeon II. "So the three groups that have been in government for a year and who declared a year ago when forming their grand coalition that their common goal was EU membership are still united behind Parvanov. It therefore remains to be seen whether this alliance will still hold once their common goal of EU membership has been achieved on January 1." (16/10/2006)

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Neue Zürcher Zeitung - Switzerland

Bulgaria's fragmented conservative party has suffered under the impact of competition with the ultra-nationalist Ataka party, writes Martin Woker. "It seems the only effective way to deal with this form of populism is Parvanov's policy of moderate patriotism. At a recent election rally Parvanov argued that irrespective of religion or ethnic origins all Bulgarians have one thing in common: their love of their native country. With these words the youthful-looking 49-year-old Parvanov, who has a degree in history, managed to win over voters who would normally never vote for the Socialists with their post-communist origins. In this light he can be described as one of those rare politicians who has matured into a true statesman while in office. ... After the elections last summer it was mainly thanks to the determination of the president that the vain party leaders were finally able to agree on a coalition government. Had this failed, there would have been new elections and Bulgaria's accession to the EU would almost certainly have been postponed." (16/10/2006)

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The Guardian - United Kingdom

Peter Preston admires the atmosphere in Bulgaria's Parliament. "No confrontations, no benches opposite and bawled insults. It's a relaxed morning in the shadow of an imminent presidential election. And the issues on the table for detailed discussion are consensual ones, too. Has the anti-corruption select committee got a draft bill clamping down on corruption? Indeed: featuring such wonders as the right to run advertisements in local newspapers denouncing politicians who cross the line. Has the ethical select committee evolved a code of practice that many western countries might envy? Indeed: the far corners of sleaze are being swept. The business of shaping up for Europe is almost complete. ... This could be a political earthquake zone. Instead, Sofia has made a considered, life-changing choice. Do we value, or even much notice, that achievement?" (16/10/2006)

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