SOFIA — Since the beginning of July, a wave of anti-government protests has rocked Bulgaria. Thousands have taken to the streets to protest rampant corruption and a deterioration in the rule of law, calling for the resignations of Prime Minister Boyko Borissov’s center-right government and Chief Prosecutor Ivan Geshev.
POLITICO talked to five regular protesters and asked them about their hopes for the mass demonstrations and their country’s future.
All photographs by Dobrin Kashavelov for POLITICO
Tanya Andreeva, 35, pediatrician
Why are you protesting?
If you want to have a normal life in this country, you have to fight the state every step of the way. Graft and nepotism are so widespread that you encounter them everywhere — from enrolling your child in kindergarten to applying for medical residency.
I have been working as a health care professional for 15 years now and I don’t see any improvement. Distribution of funds in the health sector is poor. Child mortality is quite high. Some parents can’t even afford treatment for their children. We need to fundraise money for basic equipment and don’t even have a children’s hospital. This is absolutely unacceptable for a European country.
What do you hope the protests will achieve?
For the past 10 years, hundreds of millions of euros in EU funding have poured into the country. But instead of improving infrastructure and the economy, a big chunk of it benefitted a small circle of people.
I want to have a government that puts people’s interests and needs before its own. I want a government that remembers that it’s appointed by the people and to serve the people.
Is this the beginning of a meaningful civic movement?
Yes. This is the protest of the young. I have met so many young men and women who returned to Bulgaria after studying or working abroad. They want to live a life as their Western European peers do. They know how to use the power of civil society to change things for the better. They don’t sit around waiting for a savior — they know that we all have to work together to build the country we want.
What if the protests fail?
That’s not an option. If they fail, many young people will be forced to leave the country. It would be devastating for a country that for decades has been losing its best and brightest people to emigration.
What is your long-term hope for Bulgaria?
I want to see Bulgaria lively, prospering, full of young people who want to change things for the better. I want to see a state that supports their efforts instead of thwarting them. I no longer want to live in the land of impossibility.
Dragomir Radoytsev, 25, recent university graduate
Why are you protesting?
Corruption is the biggest problem. We have seen how people with no qualifications whatsoever are being appointed to high-ranking positions and destroy schools, entire public enterprises and whole sectors with their incompetence. We have seen how public procurement contracts are given left and right to companies close to those in power.
What do you hope the protests will achieve?
We must eradicate corruption. We also need to reform our judiciary so there will be less political influence. At the moment, all of these oligarchs and politicians are untouchable despite their crimes. There is no supervision of the prosecutor’s office.
Is this the beginning of a meaningful civic movement?
I don’t know if a formal civic organization could come from the protests. But I expect corruption will be the biggest issue in the next election. From now on, political parties will have to tell [voters] how they’re going to fight corruption, how they’re going to reform the judiciary.
What if the protests fail?
We have reached the point of no return. We are either going to have someone who tackles the issue or we will be back to the streets in no time.
What is your long-term hope for Bulgaria?
Of course, we need to crack down on corruption first. I would like to see more transparency, media freedom, more trust in institutions and a stronger civil society that is actively participating in the decision-making process. I would like to see the country better integrated in the European Union.
Valentina Tashkova, 47, data analyst
Why are you protesting?
Corruption is so rampant and deep-rooted that the government doesn’t even bother to cover it up anymore. They have no vision for the future of the country. All they care about is how to finish their term.
What do you hope the protests will achieve?
It has been so invigorating to watch people taking to the streets to march against injustice. Many people who until recently sat idle now come to the square and tell me: “Enough is enough.” Whoever might take over [as head of government], they will have to treat the civil opposition as a force to be reckoned with. They will have to realize that the “everything goes” model won’t work anymore.
Is this the beginning of a meaningful civic movement?
I think the protest might inspire not one but many civil movements. These demonstrations are different [from previous movements]. They have attracted so many people from all walks of life, rich and poor, who are fed up with status-quo.
What if the protests fail?
As long as there are resignations and they serve as a wake-up call for politicians, I would consider them a success.
What is your long-term hope for Bulgaria?
I hope people will be able to choose between competing ideas and policies. Currently, vote-buying and cheap tricks are what wins elections. The ruling party is trying to convince people they are the only possibility the country has. That’s not true.
Petar Petrov, 41, poet
Why are you protesting?
The raid on the president’s building sparked the fire of protest in me. I was also appalled by recent wiretapped conversations, the photos of drawers stuffed with money from the prime minister’s bedroom. There should have been an immediate investigation but nothing followed. Ruling the country by fear and patronage is quite disturbing.
What do you hope the protests will achieve?
I hope this protest will inspire a protest culture that we are desperately lacking in Bulgaria. It serves as an immune system in a democratic society — if the next government does something wrong, people will take to the streets to protest.
Is this the beginning of a meaningful civic movement?
It started out as a spontaneous protest, but it is largely a non-partisan demonstration and might serve as a platform for people who support different political parties to find common ground. I hope young educated, talented people will emerge from the protest movement. We desperately need new faces in Bulgarian politics — people who are independent and are not tainted by graft.
What if the protests fail?
I don’t think they will fail. Currently, we are in a state of fatigue on both sides. The government is practicing a kind of pseudo governing and could simply end this agony by submitting their resignation.
What is your long-term hope for Bulgaria?
I don’t want to live in a country shaken every couple of days by political scandals. We need young people who are willing and have the courage to serve the public. We need politicians who can account for their actions. We need independent journalists who ask probing questions, to keep those in power in check.
Andrea Popyordanova, 28, illustrator and graphic designer
Why are you protesting?
I grew up in a family where environmental issues were quite important. So I couldn’t witness recent scandals and rallies against over-construction at the seaside and sit still. Illegal construction in national parks, expansion of ski resorts, all of these cases are examples of high-ranking graft, misuse of funds and all the other problems plaguing Bulgaria. The people behind it are neither being investigated, nor prosecuted.
What do you hope the protests will achieve?
Protests serve as a catalyst, prompting people to pay attention. I hope that it inspires them to follow the news more closely and to vote whenever the elections might be. Too often, people stay home instead of casting their votes.
Is this the beginning of a meaningful civic movement?
We need sweeping reforms in so many sectors, something that won’t happen overnight. Currently, there is no opposition. I hope the protests will inspire a stronger opposition movement that can introduce a series of anti-corruption measures.
What if the protests fail?
Protests in Bulgaria have one major problem — gathering enough steam and keeping up momentum. But if the crisis deepens in the fall, we might see a new wave of demonstrations. But I do think the protests have succeeded already, since the government’s reputation took a major blow and Europe is taking notice. This is the beginning of the end of Borissov.
What is your long-term hope for Bulgaria?
My parents run a small business and I have seen firsthand how difficult it is to keep it afloat. I want to live in a country where the state develops an environment where small businesses can thrive. This will create jobs, encourage people to come back and improve life in small towns. I also want to see the European Commission supervise more closely how EU funds are being spent in the country. Misuse of EU funds dooms us to stagnation and prevents us from progress.