Maxim Behar speaks with Ganiela Angelova on Bulgaria OnAir TV "The Day OnAir"

PR expert Maxim Behar and sociologist Kolyo Kolev discuss on the relationship between the non-coalition in parliament and the battle for the local vote

Host: Good evening and the start of "The Day OnAir", I am Ganiela Angelova and tonight I am putting the spotlight on the hot topics. Cardboard or concrete is the ruling coalition speak Kolyo Kolev and Maxim Behar. The war between the institutions, the relationship between the non-coalition and the battle for the local vote we comment with sociologist Kolyo Kolev and PR expert Maxim Behar, good evening gentlemen and welcome. Cardboard or concrete how does the ruling coalition look to you at this stage?

Maxim: If we work with construction terminology on this issue I would say "gypsum", i.e., on the one hand it holds, however on the other it can be easily broken or washed away if it rains hard. Good things have happened in Bulgaria in the last two months. And these good things are accompanied by two things that shock me. One is that the mass of people continues to think in black and white, they say, "This one is the enemy of that one, so you can never sit down to work with him".

Host: As it has always been, or at least in the last few years.

Maxim: Well, yes, because that's the tradition. We have enemies, we don't have opponents, partners, we don't have people who must sit down and make important decisions, but we have enemies, "How come Kiril Petkov is going to sit at the same table with Boyko Borisov, or Boyko Borisov with someone else, or with a third, fourth." That is, the politicians, no matter how critical I am or how suspicious I look at everyone, managed to find the way out, to sit down and say, "Wait, what is the other option?". The other option is to have elections, what will happen in these elections. The answer is easy, and it is that we will have plus or minus the same results, but then we will have elections and the same results. "Basta" it is good that these people found common ground will probably have some differences and disagreements. Like whether to take this agency or that agency, who should be in that position or another position to take. But at the end of the day we have a government that let's say is a "government in a cast," that is, it is fixed in some way. I am very pleasantly surprised by Academician Denkov.

Host: His position on Ukraine?

Maxim: He's an academic, you can't expect him to have such a firm position, the way he talks, the good tandem that he and Maria Gabriel make. The way they understand each other, God forbid that this thing happens and all these people who think that just about, the people around Borissov, the people around Petkov should get a grip and get together in parliament and say, "Aha these people are doing some work!". This is positive.

Host: Mr. Behar are the local elections a serious jolt for the non-coalition?

Maxim: They are a test whether they are a tremor we will see when the elections themselves happen. They will be a test, because now there is basically parity. We have "We Continue the Change" and "GERB" which have the same strength in parliament. If that balance is upset in the local elections, it could be that one of the two political parties, and it's not very difficult to predict which one, will say, 'Wait a minute I've got three or twice as much as you, what with you having won the big cities, I've won the rest.' I want to renegotiate the way we work and the coalition". But that's not what's important.

Host: Do you accept it as a condition from the side of "GERB - SDS"?

Maxim: I do not think it will happen, because then Bulgaria will again enter the carousel of endless elections. And again, we will all have these temporary governments, which I have been saying for years that they should be removed from the Bulgarian constitution in some way.

Host: They're looking for a majority now, aren't they, I think they have that majority to remove the caretaker government, part of the constitutional changes?

Maxim: Yes, if they manage to do that it's good because then it will take away the possibility that one person, be it the president or whoever, will be able to dictate the rules of the game and in a modern democracy where there should be different opinions and positions. I appreciate what the President is doing and what the Government is saying, and mainly Prime Minister Denkov. However, I would like to see a little more definitive discussion with facts and with concrete figures, especially from President Radev, so that his suggestions that, you see, Ukraine wants this war can really be documented and substantiated. The fact is that there is a group of voters behind him, and it is not a small group, whose opinion we should also listen to and try to understand, but there must still be facts and arguments.

Host: Is the battle for the capital a foregone conclusion and will such candidates be looking for non-partisan? Will they be looking in other cities as well, especially in the bigger cities?

Maxim: We may have big surprises, I think the battle in the capital is not a foregone conclusion and there is no reason, no logic for it to be a foregone conclusion. We expect there to be many more candidates. I expect there to be 5-6 more candidates in the so-called right field or blue field.

Host: Isn't the "blue vote" being fragmented in some way?

Maxim: You know, it was caused by the fact that the right-wing forces didn't sit down and get along and have a primary. We remember very well the only primary election in Bulgaria that I remember, correct me if I'm wrong, and that was the presidential election when Petar Stoyanov was elected instead of Zhelyo Zhelev, a wonderful man God forgive him. However, this primary election elected the best president Bulgaria has ever had and the best politician Bulgaria has ever had. If this thing had happened in Sofia with honesty, openness and integrity with programs, strategies with people who put concrete solutions on the table.

Host: And not clichés?

Maxim: Well, general talk let's say, I don't know if they are clichés. But so far we haven't seen anything like that. I mean, it's important in Sofia who will win, it's important in Plovdiv in all major cities of course.

Host: Will the Blues recognize Vasil Terziev as their candidate? Now I see the candidacy of Professor Lilkov. We are also waiting for the candidates of "GERB - SDS".

Maxim: What do we mean by "the blue" there are many people who will not recognize Vasil Terziev, there are those who will say that he is young and intelligent and as he often says: "I can make teams", they will say: "He can make teams, so he can be a good mayor". There will be people who will like him for many reasons, and there will be people who will be against him. But the most important thing is to see a candidate who will put ten things he will do for Sofia. And all this of course to be in every town and village everywhere. However, this is not a problem of the people, this is a problem of the political system, because unfortunately the political system as it is does not work anywhere anymore. And this is why in many countries there are attempts at dictatorship, one-man rule, because this way of political debate doesn't work and this way with politicians. Who becomes a politician these days, sorry if I'm going to offend anyone. A politician nowadays becomes one who cannot succeed in business or elsewhere. Now Vasil Terziev is an exception he first succeeded in business and then wanted to try politics; they are few such exceptions. And for that with these people it is very difficult to make a team that will be profitable and work.

Host: How important is the candidacy of "GERB - SDS" they say they will bet on something not strictly party. They are talking about Professor Gabrovsky again. Isn't it difficult to find such a candidate, at the end of our conversation please share.

Maxim: I'm sure there are many young, qualified people in Sofia who would agree and have a mind in their head, strategies, visions, programs just need to be recognized by good political forces.

Host: Thank you very much for this conversation and see you again.

You can see the whole interview here.