Imagine a hairdresser. Cuts, combs, fillets… At one point – a deputy. She combed the hair of a gentleman with a party, list, coalition… They met not only in the hairdressing salon.
Imagine a lawyer. Wins cases, loses, receiver, procurator… His client is a prominent politician. Or simply – cousins. The lawyer becomes an MP.
Imagine a boy. Delivers coffee around the party office. The boss wants to arrange the local list with only his own people, addicts – he puts the boy who has just turned 18 years old in an elective place. “The path of the young, new people, for a new Bulgaria!… The boy becomes a deputy.
Imagine a businessman.
He carries a briefcase to a political office
It becomes… – you guessed it!
No need to imagine a mutt, guard of the former First. Nor the son of a karate father, a good friend of one of the most shadowy (already) dead figures in the Bulgarian transition. There is no need for a politician-nationalist without a day’s work experience outside of politics. Nor a successful young man growing corpulent. The money from the East, transferred through companies and foundations, or the equally expensive Western political engineering through think-tanks, institutes… – you can imagine them; often the truth is not provable, which does not mean it is not true.
The above are all ways to become an MP. And also a minister, municipal councilor, politician. In Bulgaria, and not only in Bulgaria. Applicants from wherever possible, such as. Pushed by the one they are going to work for.
Dependent
Because politics is a gift to them.
There are other examples of this kind. But this is a non-fiction article, not a three-volume book.
Now imagine
a man who meekly does his work all his life
He can be a businessman, a hired worker, a policeman, a teacher… – he goes about his business. He gains experience in them, knowledge, sees the good, the bad… He believes that some have a way to get better, others don’t… This person can also be involved in social activities – education, sports, ecology, music, painting… Or but at one point, prompted by people around him, or else by himself, he decided to run for deputy –
from where he works, where he is known –
to contribute through his accumulations to all. No suitcases, relatives, mutts…
What do you think is the possibility of him becoming an MP? How much higher or lower is the chance compared to the first category? The answer is clear. Imagine it or not, it is known.
And what will happen after this person does not become a deputy? Well nothing. He’ll just go back to his work. To which he is devoted, of course, develops. He has it, politics is an addition. Without it, he can feel complete, civically useful.
He is something without politics, they are nothing –
this is another difference with those of the examples above.
Because of all this, as soon as such citizens appear as candidates, in the rare case, the appearance should be noted! Not to brag about the challenger himself. And to account for what happened. Let’s say that this is the way to enter politics – work, growth, usefulness, only then the claim to represent the others – spontaneously, not at any cost! Such people should be talked about and written about – as opposed to the former. As a proclamation,
sifting the good from the bad
Like showing how things should and shouldn’t be.
You will say – there are no such people in the lists. Or at least they are not in elective places. Here’s an example: Iliyan Iliev – our well-known associate, chairman of the “Public Center for Environment and Sustainable Development” association. He leads the Varna list of “Green Movement”, he is second in the Shumen list (although for 30 years he spends half the day in Varna, in the evening he returns to his native Kaspichan). 24 years now, Tuesday and Wednesday,
absolutely every tuesday and wednesday!,
Iliyan personally visits offices of companies, institutions, schools, kindergartens, town halls – to collect and transport paper for recycling. During all this time he has become recognizable in Varna, he has made friends…; where it is called
could leave the paper to someone else –
but keeps collecting it! He is also an author and participant in hundreds of environmental, educational and engaging people (mostly adolescents) community activities. In 2002, Iliyan made a bet (the “Let’s bet” campaign) with the district governor that in 4 months several Varna schools would save 4% of carbon dioxide through ecological practices. The plan was for Ilian and friends to rickshaw the governor to work for a week if he lost; however, if they win, he should walk to his workplace. Well, the regional governor walked…
That’s Iliyan. But the purpose of this article is not to praise his personal qualities. Quite the opposite – we fully accept and encourage (in the name of pluralism) any opinions about him, his work, his ideas, “green” as a value… If someone decides,
let him dislike him and them
With this article, however, we say that this is exactly how, like the example of Iliyan, people should be promoted in politics – where they are known, work, after years of personal accumulation in some field, based on a long personal dedication to public benefits.
In order not to be accused of shallow campaigning, let’s say it clearly: if you want to have a deputy in the parliament, look for other candidates – because the chance of Iliyan becoming one is
as much as Mbappe to play in “Spartak” – Varna
But if you want to support the civic principle, the civic way of political participation, you should think about Ilian.
And one more thing, this time concerning the parties themselves. “Green Movement” was part of the coalition with GERB (and DPS) through “Democratic Bulgaria”. But he didn’t just acknowledge the mistake, he also revealed irregularities in his internal party life. Already at the end of 2023, he changed the leader (Vladislav Panev). And now imagine how GERB replaces Boyko Borisov, BSP – Kornelia Ninova, PP – Kiril Petkov and Asen Vassilev, or Hristo Ivanov surrenders to “Yes, Bulgaria”… “Green Movement” turned out to be a normal party! The rest are abnormal because it is abnormal for the leader to be irreplaceable.
Normality is the state
which through this article we want to encourage. Regardless of the names, it is normal for candidates and parties to be the opposite of mafia, ladybugs, paratroopers, fiefdoms and feudal peasants.
