Eastern approaches

Ex-communist Europe

Protests in Bulgaria

Why are Bulgarians so angry?

Sep 30th 2011, 13:31 by T.E. | BUDAPEST

BULGARIA'S biggest cities have seen violent protests this week, following the death in a hit-and-run last weekend, in the village of Katunitsa near Plovdiv, of a 19-year-old boy, allegedly at the hands of a member of a local bigwig’s clan.

What makes the case particularly incendiary is that the bigwig in question, Kiril Rashkov, or "Tsar Kiro" as he is known locally, is a Roma (gypsy), and Angel Petrov, the young victim, was an ethnic Bulgarian.

Mr Rashkov, a wealthy man with few visible sources of income, had supposedly had a number of previous brushes with the law, none of which had led to any charges. Following the incident enraged locals surrounded and torched Mr Rashkov’s palatial house, overwhelming the police, who had to escort his family to safety.

Earlier this week protests spread to Bulgaria’s largest cities, as groups of mainly young people held banners calling for “Equal Rights and Responsibilities for All,” and shouted slogans against the country’s Roma and Turkish minorities.

On Wednesday Mr Rashkov was arrested in a separate case, and the protests appeared to have died down by yesterday. It is not yet clear if further marches planned for the weekend will take place.

The disorder is unwelcome for Bojko Borisov, Bulgaria's prime minister, who came to power two years ago promising to deal with the kind of corruption that allows criminals to buy their way out of legal trouble. A former bodyguard who cultivates the image of an efficient strongman, Mr Borisov was hoping for an easy ride at local and presidential elections next month.

But the prime minister's image has taken a few blows lately. Last week the European Union decided not to admit Bulgaria and Romania into its passport-free Schengen zone. Throughout the past year the EU’s poorest country has been struggling to break out of a recession, which has been exacerbated by the troubles of neighbouring Greece. Not only is Greece a major destination for Bulgarian exports, Greek-owned banks have a strong presence in the country.

Corruption and crime were at the top of Mr Borisov’s domestic policy agenda, and joining Schengen was the first foreign-policy priority. But progress has been limited. The government has blamed the Schengen rejection on Eurosceptic, anti-immigration sentiment in Finland and the Netherlands. But the Dutch immigration minister has suggested otherwise.

“Imagine you have a door with eight of the best locks in the world. But before that door is standing someone who lets everybody in—then you have a problem,” he said last week.

This week's protests have been about more than the Roma. “This is about the failings of the political class over 20 years,” says Kiril Avramov, a political analyst. “People are in despair about their futures, about jobs and they’re angry about corruption.” Talk of a highway-building programme which Mr Borisov hopes will win him next month's elections is unlikely to help much.

There are bright spots. The Bulgarian lev is tied in a currency board to the euro, meaning it has avoided the foreign-currency debt problem that has been crippling for some other eastern Europeans. Tough economic management by Simeon Djankov, the finance minister, has left the public finances in a relatively healthy state.

But the situation is tense. The Movement for Rights and Freedom, an ethnic-Turkish party that gets much of the Roma vote, has shown commendable restraint over the past week. But Volen Siderov, leader of Attack, an anti-Roma party, who is running for president under the slogan “I am your weapon, use it”, must be licking his lips.

Readers' comments

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Just_a_girl

Gypsies are not Bulgarians... they are a tribe that is the same in Romania, Bulgaria, France and all over the world! And their customs and lifestyle are the same everywhere. Living in ghettos in misery, not caring at least about education, thievish, pocket picking, selling their children (they usually have plenty of them), committing even worse crimes...

Why did France extradite about 300 gypsies a couple of years ago?!I think the answer is obvious.

Why did the Netherlands and Finland vote against our enter of Schengen?? Sure not because of the intelligent and capable Bulgarian citizens, who study in elite universities in Western Europe (like me) and a majority of them are probably never going to return to Bulgaria for longer than a vacation...

However, what really scares me is the fact that in recent years gypsies have been breeding themselves like rabbits in Bulgaria, their "minority" slowly transferring into majority of illiterate, indolent and insolent outlaws. And the government cannot (= does not want to) do anything to prevent this! In the other posts it was already discussed how corrupt and contemptible Bulgarian politicians are and that they prefer to tolerate (gypsy)outrages than to bother deal with them. One of the few positive aspects of the communist regime was that ALL gypsies were forced to go to school, to work, to pay for public utilities, in other words to live like everybody else!! But since the arrive of the Democracy, no one can prevent them (and society) any more from their infamous lifestyle. There is no denying the result that they have been thriving in the new "democratic" environment, their ethnic group growing in a geometrical progression...

szerda

KKK -20,

It's nothing to do with him being from Budapest, it's his mindset. Also does come across as a hungarophob.

Gianni

Bulgaria IN - few really serious questions asked.
Turkey OUT as much as can be made to stick - silly questions posed, masking other reasons - many distinctly ugly in origin and motivation.
Hard luck EU (I'm a part of this racist, 'Christian'-identifying (but with little by way of Christian values) 'democracy' too)!
We'll all just have to live with responsibility for the failures our so blinkered, racist decision-making - or making on our behalf - has shouted out and thus allowed.
Ow!
More redness as I at least, blush with embarrassment and humiliation.

Plitplov_TheBulgarianAmbassador_EU

Plitplov so happy Bulgar remember how to be ANGRY!
Greek ANGRY so LOOK AT ALL THAT SUBSIDIARISNOSC it bring GREEK!!
So all Bulgarski - one - two - three - show me some ANGRY!!!
Plitplov angry like Fat Khan Krum when took Constantinople!!!!

Plitplov, Plovdiv.

mccann12

Rioting and destruction of property is rarely excusable, including this case, but gypsies have been plaguing Europe for decades. I can appreciate the uprising of the citizens seeking justice. In many parts of the world it is more acceptable to be complacent, but if there is some injustice it is the right and duty of the citizens to put their foot down. Where the government is afraid of the people, there is liberty. Bulgaria should also not be allowed into the Schengen until it catches up to the other states.

Power to the people.

hadasf08

There is an increasing trend of visible extremest groups and radical political parties stirring up hatred against Roma. The integration of Roma makes little headway leading to major problems across Europe. Attempts need to be made by Bulgarian authorities to defuse tensions and protect Roma communities from violence.

amaier

This is just absurd what is going on. Why was Bulgaria in the EU anyway though? I personally don't feel like they should have a seat there and now everything is going to crap. Definitely have some issues to be worked out.

guest-ienooso

Destroy the gethos, spread the gypsy population proportionaly, so that they live among normal society. Disallow them to form gethos and colonies. Make them send their children to school. This is the right way. In 50 years they will be ok.

In some villages the old gypsies forbit their children to learn their language and made them integrate.. And it WORKS! You immediately see the difference - they behave like normal people. They work and have their dignity.

To talk about rasism and human rights is pure populism if you don't care about the end result. The EU policy towards minorities has led us here - POLICEMEN GET BEATEN IN THE GETHOS. They are afraid to do their job there, because SOME HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANISATION WILL SUE THEM TO DEATH.

Nowerdays rasism is all about money.

Tomas Marny

@JoeSolaris

Such a multinational “conference” has been here for 6 years already and some events about this topic take place almost every week – see Decade of Roma Inclusion 2005 – 2015.

The trouble is that due to PC, nobody is ready to name the key issue directly. Activists and Roma intelligentsia push primarily agenda of promoting and developing genuine Roma culture (which rather harms integration if Roma language is given priority to the language of the country they live and confirms stereotypes that Roma can only be dancers and musicians) and watch cases of “discrimination”.

Without the will of the Roma communities in the troubled localities to change themselves and active participation of their leaders in encouraging and supporting this change, no external effort can be successful. That’s why I urged Roma intelligentsia in the previous thread to work as intermediaries between their communities and the representatives of the rest of the society (magistrates, goverment, etc.) on integration programs tailored for the specific locality.

JoeSolaris

The "problem" of the Roma is not just a Bulgarian issue, or a Czech issue or one for Italy and France, etc. This is becoming a European-wide priority, given the clearly growing tensions. Of course, the current economic crisis does nothing to alleviate tensions. Brussels will need to address this in the near future, at a continental level.

On one hand, the rights of the Roma and other minorities must be defended strongly. On the other hand, the law needs to be defended even more strongly. How about a major EU-wide conference on the issue, to be held somewhere in Central Europe? With the participation of representatives of national police forces and Roma political parties?

lnikki24

Bulgaria as much of Eastern Europe has many ethnic conflicts and issues that are apart of everyday life. A major problem when you have different cultures and ethnic groups is when there are no equal grounds for the groups and they are treated differently. There is always going to be tension between groups until there is equality put into how the government is ran. This is majorly important when dealing with law and government. Another thing is that the economic situation and the fear of not having jobs is increasing tensions and anger of the different ethnicities. Nothing is being done about the situation so people are starting to take it out on one another. So Bulgaria first needs to start treating everyone as equals then work on their economy.

Lets_change

I am from Bulgaria and i want to say that the attitude of bulgarians to the minorities is very bad.
Bulgarians are not tolerant, they abuse and reject us(minorities)...
Discrimination and racism are main here. I am so unhappy to live in county like this:( In first opportunity i am going leave this country.

Toni M.

What kind of hypocrisies in EU about minority right!?! For examples the human rights of Macedonian minority in Bulgaria. Bulgaria is member of EU, but I do not see some progress of democracy in Bulgaria. There is a deficit in connection to human rights of minority’s especially Macedonian minority in region Macedonia Pirin in sud-west part of Bulgaria. The same pictures are also in Greece. But Hypocrisies is very big because you can see aggressive propaganda from politicians of Bulgaria and Greece when the question is Republic of Macedonia and majority of population that they declare himself as Macedonians.

guest-iwjwmle

"There are bright spots. The Bulgarian lev is tied in a currency board to the euro, meaning it has avoided the foreign-currency debt problem that has been crippling for some other eastern Europeans. Tough economic management by Simeon Djankov, the finance minister, has left the public finances in a relatively healthy state."

Well, they forgot to mention how exactly he managed the public finances. Greece for example was really seriously hit by the euro crisis, and can't get better, because greec salaries are really high. Bulgaria managed the problem by cutting off salaries. People in bulgaria are starving but in the foreign journals the applauds go for Minister Djankov, who was never suppost to be a minister at the first place.
Has anyone ever heard about cutting the superannuation fund??? This is some sort of nationalisation of people's personal funds, this is so ridicolous and absurd, thaht I can't believe I'm even talking about it! Bottom line, the constitutional court has given a decision, that this is completely anticonstitutional and guess what is minister Djankov decision - everyone who wants to get their pension fund - must ask for it! And this information was given only in very specialised journals for finansist, they were'nt announced on TV. How are all the old people suppost to know that??

About the ethnic problem - in my opinion the problem was not that Mr. Rashkov is a gipsy, but that it's really common for wealthy buisnessmen to have the so called political umbrella. This has got to stop, but I personally don't see a way out. This is why we are so angry, because no matter who you vote for he always betrays you. Bulgaria is definetly the country where everything is possible, where all your dreams can come true - if you have the money to buy it. You can buy power, politicians, police.

Eneya

The protests are alive and well actually. It looks like there are not going to die out soon.

There are huge issues with racism at home, that is so very true.
But this is a deliberate ethnic situation stirred here in order to be cashed for elections and to control voters.

For the last 20 years, the Roma people have been put in a situation in which there is little to no integration, hundreds and thousands of kids never go to school, which means they need help from the government on a monthly basis for years and years. Monthly bills for millions in whole neighborhoods are not paid for years with no consequences and when acted upon, there are accusations about racism.

Again, there is a clear segregation and distrust, the Roma groups are very closed in themselves with negative attitude towards education, seen as something useless.

There are huge families, who live in poverty, the kids are sent to beg and steal or sold, prostitution numbers are skyhigh and so on.
Or even worse, the families live in almost fallen buildings huge and many satellite dishes on the roofs and the whole family is on the streets - begging, stealing, being used as prostitutes.

But the biggest issue is that this is controlled by very, very white mafia. Yes, there are several big names like Rashkov, but predominantly, it's so very Bulgarian mafia who is in control and they are in bed with the politicians to the point that that's not even a "public secret" bu a well known fact by everyone.

Around elections, money are freely given, so these people, will go and vote for whoever they are told. I have heard and read that there are not many option to stray from this with threats for abuse if not orders are not obeyed.

In the mean time parties are using the situation to cash on voters with promises how there will be no more tolerance for Roma crime and abuse of the government and so on.

Yes, there are some fascists who love nothing more that blame everyone else for all issues. But they are not the only one who protest and who are fed up with being used and abused.

The protests are against criminals and politicians, and though some politicians are desperate to make it about ethnicity, I hope it's not going to happen.

Because the politicians started explaining how this is NOT an ethnic issue even before it looked like such.
So... yeah.

V.K.

Why was Bulgaria allowed in the EU in the 1st place? Regardless, EU is doomed and maybe then Bulgaria can take care of its issues without the Neo-Soviet empire aka EU telling them what to do and how to do it.

Plitplov_TheBulgarianAmbassador_EU

EU don't care democracy!
But Plitplov sit pretty in Castle Krum!!
Plitplov still on sun-side of EU scam, get fat!
Portugsk now on bum-side, get thin!
Plitplov know this!
Spansky, Irishnik, Portugnik, Franzak unhappy, Basil the Greek unhappy!
Scrap their subsidiarinojsk! Give all to Plitplov!!
Plitplov very happy!

Hahahahahaha!!

About Eastern approaches

Eastern approaches deals with the economic, political, security and cultural aspects of the eastern half of the European continent. It incorporates the long-running "Europe.view" weekly column. The blog is named after the wartime memoirs of the British soldier Sir Fitzroy Maclean.

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