„The Reformators’ Bloc is a lasting political union that will participate in the full cycle of elections – for MEPs, national parliament, local and president elections.“ This way the entity was presented by the coalition parties at the time of its setting up in December last year. Since then, its leaders never stopped selling to the voters the mantra that their formation is united and strong. Perhaps it is such, but in their parallel reformist reality.
What is the truth? The Reformators’ Bloc is not united. That was evident to the naked eye at opening of the pre-election campaign of the coalition on Sunday (September 14). Then its general chairperson had to be elected. But the event failed because the day before it was sabotaged by the Union of Democratic Forces (UDF) and Movement Bulgaria to Citizens“ (MBC). They issued a joint statement in which they said they would participate in the election procedures within the bloc, but with clear rules and regulatory powers to elected officials. And also they wanted this to happen on November 10, when celebrating a quarter of century from the onset of democracy processes in Bulgaria.
In the days before the Congress of MBC changed their position several times. First, that they will not go to the Congress on the ground that the day, which was selected for it was inconvenient for part of their delegates – the Day of the Saint Cross. Then, during her weekend TV appearance, MRS Kuneva said that she and her people would still attend the event. UDF also expressed the view that they will attend the event, but repeatedly insisted that now is not the time to elect a chairman of the bloc.
Radan Kanev, who was rumoured as the most likely leader of the coalition until recently believed that such an election will take place. But on Saturday night in his official profile on the social network „Facebook“ he said that there will be a congress but a leader will not be elected.
This practically renders pointless the so called national congress of the right, which was conceived months earlier. Initially, it had to be held in Sofia and the event to be attended by more than 1,000 people. Ultimately it took place in one of Sofia’s shopping malls, was attended by no more than 700 people and the event was carried out and finished in a mere 20 minutes, although it started more than 40 minutes later than planned.
Atmosphere showed that there are fighting camps in the bloc. One is undoubtedly around the Democrats for Strong Bulgaria and its Chairman Radan Kanev, who has the support of most of the civil council members of the organization, and of the agrarian party leader Nikolai Nenchev. Former defectors from the Ethnic Turk Movement for Right and Freedoms, Kasim Dal and Korman Ismailov, who created the People’s Party „Freedom and Dignity“ also gravitate close to Mr. Kanev. On Sunday, he and the coalition MEP Svetoslav Malinov were greeted with applause and chants.
On the other hand, in the supposedly single block are Meglena Kuneva and Bozidar Lukarski leaders of MBC and the UDF. The appearance of Kuneva at the meeting was met with wry smiles and this says a lot. Most of the attendees simply refused to hear what the President of Movement Bulgaria to Citizens wanted to say and some guests even went out of the room.
There is a huge disappointment in the supporters of DSB who wanted to see their leader Kanev as the bloc’s chairman. Undoubtedly, however, the election campaign is not the time to conduct an internal vote. The reason is clear – regardless of who would head the coalition it would inevitably affect its total election result. Just because the other party supporters would feel less represented. Aborted elections on their hand also entail negative consequences for the formation. And this influences its peripheral voters. They have an alternative here – some would turn to GERB, other – to The Rightists’ Coalition, while a third group may lose their impulse to vote at all.
The BANKER
