Политика

The party "Democrats for Strong Bulgaria" (DSB) held a national meeting over the weekend at Kamena Hotel in Velingrad. It includes the entire leadership of the party, deputies, municipal chairmen of local structures from all over the country, newly elected mayors and municipal councilors from the DSB. The hosts from Velingrad were represented by the municipal chairwoman of DSB Kapka Vacheva.
The meeting began on Saturday with an analysis and assessment of the DSB's performance at the local elections, followed by debates on the political prospects of the dark blue party for the next parliamentary elections, with the main issue being whom to coalition with DSB. On Sunday, lecturers from the Institute for Public Environment Development Svetoslav Georgiev and Antoaneta Tsoneva spoke on the topics "Legal framework of the activity of the municipal council" and "The municipal budget as a political instrument". Willy Lilkov, a councilor in the Sofia Municipal Council, explained the political activity of the municipal councilor. The forum was chaired by DSB leader Ivan Kostov, whom we sought for comment on the most current political issues specifically for the readers of the newspaper. "Tempo".

- Mr. Kostov, the economic framework for next year is currently being voted in parliament. What is your forecast as an economist and as a politician for 2008? - will the Bulgarian continue to tighten the belt or will the economic situation improve?
- Different! For those with high incomes and high qualifications, in 2008. It'll be fine. Those with business and with business income - also good, because substantial tax cuts are provided. For people with high incomes, there will also be a substantial reduction in the tax burden with the flat flat tax rate. For business income, there will be a dividend reduction. So it will be better for these groups. But for people with salaries below average incomes, such as many in Bulgaria, it will not be good. Especially if they have children, because first of all the tax burden increases for them, and there are additional burdens. Such will be, for example, the increased excise duties, which are felt mostly by this group of people. Excise taxes on electricity, fuels, cigarettes, will rise fuel prices and especially a lot of natural gas. Depending on their consumption, people will feel this sensitively in their pocket. At the same time, the government abolished family income taxation. For young families with 2 children, things will be more difficult. Their costs will increase by 800-1000 leva per year. So for people with below-average incomes, the situation in 2008. It won't be good.
A major historical redistribution of the tax burden is currently taking place. It is unfair and socially irresponsible. The structure of society changes, deepening the differences between people with high and low incomes. Even by the ruling majority, this process was called counterrevolution.
Budget 2008 will be, as it has been so far, with a false base and undervalued revenues to open next year at the same time again the black party register, even on a larger scale. Currently, the government allocates an infinitely large amount without it being clear for what and under what procedures. The stories that this spending of the budget surplus will be controlled by the Court of Auditors and the Council of Ministers are not serious. Currently, 400 million leva will be spent in a week!
- DSB proposed from the surplus the government to grant an average pension to the people of the third age for Christmas. Initially, the government promised for pensioners 50 leva, and yesterday Prime Minister S. Stanishev promised 100 leva for Christmas. Does your proposal catalyze these growing promises?
- From DSB we wanted the pensioners to receive 180 leva for Christmas, because this was quite within the budget. It was perfectly safe to give 150 leva. Accounts show that each pensioner pays 52 leva per month for VAT and excise duties. So, under indirect taxes, each pensioner gives the state about 600 leva per year. Why shouldn't that money be returned to them if they had the chance?! Our pressure still produced results.
Now we will watch with particular care whether the government and personally the Minister of Finance Oresharski will give relief to gambling. DSB's proposal is for a 15% tax because the current taxation is low, the organizers of gambling accumulated untold fortunes. We demand that the stakes be taxed, not the amount after the winnings have been paid. We will try to stop attempts to reduce the taxation of gambling. Even if only these two small things are achieved - not to allow gambling preferences and to increase Christmas pensions, we will still have done useful work as an opposition. - Another topic of the week is the processes of split in NDSV. Will they affect the right-wing political space?
- I think what's happening in NDSV won't affect the right. These people have not yet decided whether they are part of the ruling majority or the opposition. We do not know if we will be able to rely on them as an opposition in parliament. They themselves are not yet aware. They will probably have to deal with the desire to be in power. - Will the necessary 60 signatures be collected in parliament at the request of the Citizens' Initiative "Justice" to the National Assembly to charge President Georgi Parvanov for violating the constitution in connection with his agent's past?
- DSB MPs have signed under this request because there can be no doubt that the President lied to the Bulgarian people and voters. But the collection of the required 60 signatures in this National Assembly has so far been unsuccessful.
- How is your discussion on the presentation of DSB at the local elections, which is the main topic of the national meeting in Velingrad? And why did you choose Velingrad, where traditional right-wing parties performed very poorly in the municipal council elections?
- The discussion was not very specific, very emotional, with a high degree, at times with a lot of mood and different ideas. It will be difficult to generalize, there are many different opinions on prospects. Our overall assessment of the local elections is that the right remained on the big political stage as a factor that is present and has significance in the local government. It is difficult to generalize because among the dozens and hundreds of municipal organizations, some are winners and others defeated.
We chose Velingrad because of its central location, the choice is not a political sign. But it is good that here is not Mayor Fidel Beev, so controversial, with his parliamentary immunity removed, with so many cases. I think that in order to have political processes, there should be no oligarchic presence in power. While people of great property position are always part of the oligarchy and stop party democracy. That is why I allow myself to say that the oligarchic brake here in Velingrad did not work, although I know that it does not descend from here. The great backlog of the city weighed heavily on the people of the democratic community. Democratic voters here have not come out to vote. But Velingrad is being revived, there is a change for the better, which I most sincerely wish for the citizens of Velingrad, who have long sought the way to restoring a better standard of living. It will also go through disappointment of people who will try to make large-scale, large tourist hotels and sites. To do this, you need a huge supply of a free qualified workforce, which there isn't. Small family hotels can be more viable, they are more dynamic and desirable.
- GERB, whose leader Boyko Borisov this weekend was also invited to Velingrad, want early elections for the National Assembly. What is your forecast, will there be extraordinary parliamentary elections in 2008?
- We also want this very bad management to go away. We wanted it even before GERB. When Boyko Borisov maintained warm relations with the president and the ruling coalition, we from DSB have asked for a vote of no confidence. But sobriety obliges to conclude that the recent processes in the NDSV even lead to an increase in the maneuvering capabilities of the BSP to lead in the coalition and weaken the capabilities of those close to Parvanov to sabotage this government and trigger early elections. Now if Stanishev does not coalition with Simeon, he can coalition with the breakaways from the NDSV and vice versa. The grand coalition demoralizes the rulers, makes them act arrogantly and think that they are allowed everything. But I predict that early parliamentary elections in 2008. There won't be.
Elena Baeva