site.btaHead of State Urges for Dialogue between Institutions, Says This Requires Government to Emancipate Itself from Behind-the-Scenes Dealings

There really needs to be effective interaction and dialogue between institutions, but this requires the government to emancipate itself from behind-the-scenes dealings, rather than legitimizing them, said President Rumen Radev to journalists Saturday at Petrovа niva (Southeast Bulgaria) in response to a question about the interaction between institutions and why there are still no appointments for a State Agency for National Security Chair, Ministry of Interior Secretary General, and ambassadors.

Radev participated in the commemoration of the 122nd anniversary of the Ilinden-Preobrazhenie Uprising in the historic Petrov Niva area. The celebration was held under the patronage of the head of State, the President's press office said. Among those attending the commemorative ceremony were National Assembly Chair Nataliya Kiselova and Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Zafirov.

"I recently stated that amnesia and cynicism are increasingly taking over Bulgarian politics and, unfortunately, this trend continues. Those who plundered the Corporate Commercial Bank and Bulgartabac, who hastily pushed through the scandalous amendments to the State Property Act, are now pretending to be concerned about the public interest,“ the head of State commented on the ”commotion" surrounding his veto on the provisions of the amendments and supplements to the State Property Act. “But when these processes were brought to light, those eager to profit quickly fled from the spotlight,” he added. According to Radev, this is precisely why society must keep this issue in the spotlight.

"Against this backdrop, the much-needed interaction between institutions is becoming increasingly difficult because the decisions of the executive branch are made outside of it. In this situation, there really needs to be effective interaction and dialogue between institutions, but this requires the Government to emancipate itself from behind-the-scenes dealings, rather than legitimising them," Radev said.

"As for appointments, the previous ruling coalition hijacked the Constitution, the new coalition wants to monopolize all powers, and the laws prevent them from exercising arbitrary power, but they should understand that in this way they are undermining the democratic structure and it could collapse on them," the head of State added.

"To cover up its inability to control inflation, crises, and the confusion surrounding the sale of state property, the Government is staging scandals," said President Radev. However, according to him, "these scandals, this whole smokescreen, do not stand up to the facts and cannot answer the most basic questions."

He asked where the assurances that there would be no price increases due to the "hasty introduction of the euro" had gone, how the Government would fill "the growing hole in the budget," why they requested and received advance taxes from banks, and why there are members of Parliament who are guarded by the National Security Service and the Gendarmerie.