What can the minds behind Borisov create, other than a low-quality secret police smear against Hristo Ivanov? And with the help of whom? Dimitar Lambovski, who was pulled out of the “back pocket.” I wondered where this hero had disappeared to, and it turns out he was available. For those who may not know, it’s worth recalling that many of the deputies of NDSV paid to be placed in winnable positions on the royal lists. It was rumored during those years that the price was 50,000 leva—which was a lot of money back then.
I can’t swear whether Hristo Ivanov knows this “Macho” or not, but I am sure he could not participate in dirty behind-the-scenes dealings with any oligarch or bandit. However, the smear campaign, no matter how unbelievable it seemed to me, picked up traction in the media and “hooked,” as they say. If even a close friend of mine, who is quite intelligent, speaks several languages, and is interested in politics, gets caught on the bait, what can we say about the masses who love to lend an ear to such stories?
Spicy, isn’t it?
The leader of “Yes, Bulgaria” is live on Facebook from the tent camp at Orlov Bridge. Lambovski leans in almost to whisper in his ear, but instead of whispering, he raises his voice over the protest noise to inform him that he spoke with “Macho,” making sure the name is clearly heard—after all, that’s the goal. The scene resembles that of a film currently being shot. And yes, Hristo Ivanov visibly showed discomfort, similar to what anyone in his position would feel upon realizing that he was being led into a trap. Meanwhile, Borisov commented on the incident from his SUV—elementary, Watson, but that’s how it is when a person doesn’t read enough.
But this is just the beginning—prepare for even dirtier stories concocted by loyal GERO politicians and the prime minister, who are digging through archives and have a wealth of information that they can use manipulatively at precisely the right moments. They just need a signal for the next smear campaigns, which are very likely to emerge now against other participants in the protest. And certainly against President Radev, from whom Borisov has already demanded resignation.
As for Hristo Ivanov and his communist parents—I don’t know what privileges they may have enjoyed during the years of the Transition; I haven’t been interested in that. But I would ask those who throw stones at him why, for all these 30 years, they looked at people like us, who wanted lustration, with mockery, as if we were “cave anti-communists”?
In reality, they were dying of fear that this might actually happen. Because if this lustration had taken place, the children of the former nomenclature and the repressive apparatus of the State Security would not be the new rich today.
Borisov also would not be prime minister.
If lustration had been implemented, our transition would have been different as well. Former paid party secretaries would not be receiving pensions several times higher than those of teachers, doctors, and engineers who retired 20 years ago.
There would not be
a facade of democracy masking an authoritarian regime,
and Bulgaria would have a dignified present as a moderately developed European state. It could have been, but it didn’t happen.
The blame does not lie solely with specific individuals on whom we want to assign this guilt because that is easier. We all share the blame, and therefore we must atone for it now. We must not allow the mafia to take our state from us and turn us into servants.
