Boris Popivanov: Boyko Borisov lost from ill-considered, radical attitude of foreign minister and parliamentary majorityPolitical scientist Boris Popivanov comments for FOCUS News Agency on the aftermath of the scandal between the Government and the President regarding recalled Bulgarian ambassadors to the USA and Turkey.

FOCUS: Mr Popivanov, who was right and who was wrong in the case with the Bulgarian ambassadors recalled for election violations – the President or the Government?
Boris Popivanov: It’s hard to give a definite answer to this question. The public has not been presented with the information that prompted the Government to take such a step. We know that the inquiry commission set up to check for election violations has not announced any conclusions yet. The Foreign Minister says enough information has been provided but whether that is so is anybody’s guess. If the whole purpose was to substitute the ambassadors, it has been attained. After the entire scandal and all the international fuss made it is clear that the two ambassadors cannot continue to perform their duties. Substitution is just a matter of time. Still it is doubtful whether this is the best way the Bulgarian Government should treat its diplomatic officials. Besides, diplomatic appointments are not entirely a matter of foreign policy as they always refer to bilateral relations. Therefore the approach of the Government has casts a shadow over Bulgaria’s image in front of the USA and Turkey as well as in front of the entire international community. It is a sad coincidence to this happen while the Prime Minister is trying to establish a more positive image of the country. Boyko Borisov himself has lost from the ill-considered and radical attitude of his foreign minister and of the parliamentary majority. It must be understood that the Prime Minister has been misled by political forces that have been insistent on presenting themselves as his partners. It is no surprise that the Blue Coalition and Ataka are not viewing improving the popularity of the Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria and of the Premier as a priority.

FOCUS: But don’t you think the ambassadors, who have committed election violations be punished and recalled?
Boris Popivanov: There is nothing else to say but let the guilty be punished after it has been found who is to blame and for what. Bit I am afraid that after all the propaganda the truth about the election violations in the USA and Turkey is not of great significance.

FOCUS: Who was piling up pressure in the relationship between the President and the Government and was it being done on purpose? Parvanov and Borisov had already had one conflict right after the new Government took office.
Boris Popivanov: It has been said that the current Government is enjoying unprecedented comfort. There is no real opposition. BSP has been pathetically declaring some dissent with the Cabinet but what sounds louder is dissent expressed between people within BSP leadership. The Movement for Rights and Freedoms in the words of its leader has been “watching the course of events.” So it is no surprise that in a situation like this each phrase uttered by the President sounds like criticism, like conflict, like war of institutions. The Prime Minister thinks that the Head of state is acting and talking like a party leader. The reason for this seems to be that the President has referred to his constitutional powers. It is too early for the Government to be speculating on future events beyond the current term of President Parvanov. They will have to live together for a long time so the best thing to do is to accommodate differences in terms of institutional powers if not in terms of policy. I think Borisov is aware of this.

FOCUS: BSP has interpreted the call by DSB and Ataka for suspension of the President as an intention “of a part of the rightists to alter the state structure and the political system of the country” – would you agree with such an opinion? Do you think such intentions are really there?
Boris Popivanov: DSB and Ataka are looking for a place under the political sun. Neither of the two parties has been progressing recently in terms of popularity. There is this principle saying that the smaller and isolated a party is the more radical its demands get. The problem is they will find it hard to be more extreme than Yane Yanev and his demand for impeachment of the entire political system. How far could they go? No further than to disrepute CEDB for not showing consistency and resolve and not investigating and punishing with the desired zeal. Or to become harder police officers than Boyko Borisov himself. As for BSP, it may object all it wants if there is anyone there to listen. In this case the best thing may be not to listen so we wouldn’t be pushed into the scheme of a communist president against an anticommunist government.

FOCUS: CEDB initially said they would back up the demand by DSB and Ataka for impeachment of the President – at least Prime Minister Boyko Borisov said so last Wednesday. Later they withdrew from the idea. Do you think tit would be realistic to implement impeachment – it is a complicated procedure?
Boris Popivanov: CEDB gave up on the idea not only because the procedure is complicated and would hardly be sustained by the Constitutional Court but also because they realized what sourt of a trap they were about to fall in. Let’s look at the whole thing: the President shared his thoughts with some students and demanded more information within his powers, which served as a pretext to start calculating how many times the President visited the Parliament and how much oil he received from Saddam Hussein. Only a couple of weeks it was not a problem and now it has suddenly become one. Such excessive marketeering is vexing. If such motives ever sounded serious it is strange we did not repeatedly impeach President Zhelev or President Stoyanov. The withdrawl of CEDB from the action by DSB and Ataka did not undo the bad impression but at least one positive fact is at hand: the Parliament did not play the infamous role of commenting in a declaration the relationship between other institutions. The actual risk is there for the Parliament to turn into a Hyde Park of sorts where anybody could stand and read out some ideas of the world order with or without anyone listening.

FOCUS: Do you consider the reasons for impeachment sufficient?
Boris Popivanov: No, of course not. And the situation was clear enough for everybody, including those who are dreaming of impeachment.

FOCUS: Is there an crisis between institutions as some of the media have said? And how does such a crisis affect the work of institutions that are supposed to coordinate their actions for enhanced development of the country?
Boris Popivanov: Risk of crisis is always there, especially in a period when governments are changing. It is logical to redefine relationships with regard to topical priorities, expectations, intentions. The said period is running out. Soon CEDB will not be so recent in power. And will remember the fate of Filip Dimitrov’s cabinet, which, carried away in its revolutionary enthusiasm, started a war against all institutions, political parties, trade unions and organizations. And was gone in 10 months.

Galina DIMOVA