2013–14 Bulgarian protests against the Oresharski cabinet

The protests against the government Oresharski in Bulgaria are continuous protests are accused not only against the government but also against all since the elections in 2013 represented in the Bulgarian Parliament political parties, where widespread corruption and close ties to organized crime. The protesters accuse the political actors that the politicians of these parties basically do not care about the welfare of the people or the voters, but only represent the economic interests of the mafia oligarchs.

The protests began on 14 June 2013, and found every day since then, especially in the capital of Bulgaria, Sofia, instead. Often participate in the demonstrations, tens of thousands, mainly from the middle class who demand the immediate resignation of the government of Plamen Oresharski, changes in the electoral law, and holding early elections.

The protests began in response to the occupation of important government positions by politicians who close ties to organized crime are attributed. But also with related environmental issues angered the population: the damage to nature by commercial construction projects, expansion plans for nuclear power plant Belene and others.

• 4.1 The Silence of the Government
• 4.2 counter- protest in Sofia
• 4.3 Support of Bulgarian society
• 4.4 Support from the German and the French Ambassador in Sofia
• 4.5 Support from the security officer of the EPP Group in the European Parliament
• 4.6 Medial view of the protests

Prehistory

The interim government of Prime Minister Plamen Oresharski is since March 13, 2013 in office. The Cabinet was formed after nationwide protests against the government Borisov and the early parliamentary elections on 29 May 2013. Already in the second week of the term, there were nationwide protests because of the occupation of important government positions by political figures of the parties Movement for Rights and Freedoms ( DPS) and the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP ) from the government Stanishev and breaking election promises.

First protests there were already on 28 May 2013 in a demonstration with initially 200 participants at Eagle Bridge in Sofia. The protest was organized by environmentalists. They formed a coalition of NGOs and civil society groups under the name "This natural in Bulgaria remains " ( Bulg " За да остане природа в България ").

Shortly after the election of the Cabinet protests were organized against this in Burgas. These protests were carried out on 2 June and were continued, as nationwide protests against the Cabinet Oresharski. On June 2 were protests in several Bulgarian cities: Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna, Burgas, etc. In Sofia gathered about 2000 demonstrators in Plovdiv 300 and several hundred in other cities. In Sofia, the protesters blocked for four hours central streets and gathered themselves together in front of the party headquarters of BSP, DPS and ATAKA. In Plovdiv and Varna, the demonstrators blocked traffic on some major roads.

Trigger

The protests were sparked by the election of the media mogul Deljan Peewski as head of the State Agency for National Security ( DANS ). The time of his appointment 33-year Peewski to have close relations with organized crime. The news of the appointment of Peewski for security chief has angered many Bulgarians, including the 44 -year-old Asen Genov was so angry that he immediately called his friends on Facebook to protest. Nobody expected that more than 500 people come to the event announced by Genov. When, in fact, a few hours after the election of Peewski thousands flocked to the venue, the surprise of everyone involved was very large.

Course

Until 23 July, the protests went mainly in the form of peaceful demonstrations in which every day tens of thousands of people, mostly from the middle class to participate. They are protesting not only against the government of Plamen Oresharski, but against all the parties represented in parliament, and against the entire political system, which ( in the opinion of the protesters ) only to serve the interests of the mafia oligarchy. Since the elections in May 2013 four parties are represented in the Bulgarian Parliament:

• The "right " of the GERB Ex - Government Boyko Borisov;
• The "left " BSP, the successor party of the Bulgarian Communist Party ( BCP );
• The "Turkish" DPS whose member of the media mogul Deljan Peewski is;
• The xenophobic and extreme-right party Ataka.

It is protesting against all four parties and almost all politicians of these parties are widespread corruption and close relationships ( or even membership ) to the mafia oligarchy and organized crime accused. The only politician who still enjoys wide reputation in the population, is the President Rosen Plevneliev, who also supports the protests.

Escalation in the night of 23 July 24

To 23 July 2013, the protests were peaceful. On June 23, 2013, the 40th day of protests, and the following night there were violent clashes with the police.

On July 23, 2013, thousands of protesters blocked the building of the Parliament of place Narodno sabranje after it was announced that the Budget Committee has decided on an increase in the budget expenditure for 2013. This should be covered by a credit, which Bulgaria should take another billion euros of debt. Because of numerous corruption scandals is known that in the past, a substantial portion of such funds were not used appropriately, but disappeared in controlled by mafia oligarchs companies, the message of great excitement has caused among the protesters. They blocked for several hours, the Parliament building, where more than 100 people were, including three ministers, dozens of deputies and numerous journalists. There were scenes of violence and injuries when the police tried to get the ministers and some of the deputies from the parliament and continues to bring.

A first attempt, the deputies mop against 23 local time on a bus, failed. It was also a window of the bus to break, with the parliamentarians should be evacuated. Only with a strong police presence ( in Bulgaria is the main Directorate Gendarmerie - a part of the Bulgarian police - responsible for the protection of Parliament) were the deputies after midnight left the building.

Reactions

The silence of the government

Orescharskis government shows little understanding of the demands of protesters and attempts to " pretend normal".

Counter- protest in Sofia

Approx. 100 supporters of the government camp demonstrate in Sofia and demand that you give an opportunity to the Government of Plamen Oresharski and they can work in peace.

Support of the Bulgarian society

A representative survey by the polling institute Alfa Research shows that 85 percent of Bulgarians support the protests (as of June 20, 2013 ).

Support from the German and the French Ambassador in Sofia

Germany's Ambassador to Bulgaria Matthias Hoepfner and his French counterpart Philippe Autir have warned with " unusually undiplomatic words " the Bulgarian government: " The membership of the European Union is a civilizational choice " and "the oligarchical model has no place. ".

Support from the security officer of the EPP Group in the European Parliament

Michael Gahler, MEP and Security Policy Spokesman of the EPP Group in the European Parliament, has quickly responded already on 14 June 2013 and the " raid -like " change of Intelligence Act and the appointment as head of security " controversial media mogul " Deljan Peewski, the "narrow relations with Bulgarian mafia oligarchs " are " rumored strongly condemns ". In reply to an open letter from 103 Bulgarians living in Germany Gahler has also expressed its solidarity with the protesters.

Medial view of the protests

In Bulgaria, the protests of the media group Deljan Peewskis were to the newspapers "Monitor" and " Telegraph", the weekly " Weekend" and the television channel " TV 7" and " TV 7 News" are either ignored or distorted. Be addressed, the protests of the daily newspapers " Trud " and " Sega ". You can find a detailed presentation on the sides of the press group " Economedia " to the newspaper " Capital Daily", the weekly newspaper "Capital" and the website dnevnik.bg belong.

Independent bloggers and activists report reports on the protests. About the protests will live reports in the social media like Facebook and Twitter.

The protests in Bulgaria were also represented in the German media. So reported The mirror of the situation in Bulgaria. In the evening news of the First German Television "Daily Show" was reported on the protests in Bulgaria.

In Austria, it was reported on the protests in Bulgaria.

The protests were also presented by the French media.

The hashtag # DANSwithme

The hashtag # DANSwithme (Cyrillic: # ДАНСwithme ) is used to characterize related to the protests against the Mafia in Bulgaria data (news, blog posts, images, videos, etc. ) in the social networks and across the Internet. # ДАНСwithme is the result of a play on words with the name of the State Agency for National Security (Bulgarian: Darzhavna Agencia " Nacionalna Sigurnost " DANS; Cyrillic: ДАНС ) and the English ( "Dance with me "), " Dance with me! " which is pronounced similarly. The hashtag # ДАНСwithme has become one of the symbols of protests because it emphasizes their peaceful, non-violent character.