Mihail Mikov to FACT: The Left has paid the price for years of roadlessness

After the categorical election results of April 19, the political picture in Bulgaria has changed dramatically. Rumen Radev's victory and the entry of his project with an absolute majority into parliament outline a new stage - not just a change of power, but a clash between expectations for profound change and the risk of repeating old models. At the same time, the collapse of the BSP and its absence from parliament for the first time in recent history raise questions about the future of the left and the representation of a significant part of society. Mihail Mikov, former leader of the BSP, spoke to FACT.

- Mr. Mikov, how do you view the categorical election results for Rumen Radev's success and what was the basis for him to achieve them?
- We see a categorical vote. A punitive vote expressing several things. First of all, that Bulgaria cannot continue with these unprincipled coalitions. Second, that a change is needed that will lead to a different way of governing the country - much more based on legality and much less on the basis of personal relationships, which were becoming sole masters of territories and sectors of the economy.

- But now we will see sole rule again, because Rumen Radev's party has an absolute majority in parliament?
- That still doesn't mean anything. Let's see the management actions of the executive branch, including the legislative activity, which must guarantee that the things that people came out to vote for do not happen.

- The first parliament without the BSP in the recent history of Bulgaria since the transition. What does this mean to you?
- I believe that this is a very heavy blow to the representation of those people, who I dare to claim are the majority of Bulgarian citizens who are interested in left-wing representation and other types of politics. There is a certain paradox - the need to change right-wing politics has once again led to right-wing representation in parliament. This will have long-term consequences. The specific actions of “Progressive Bulgaria“ that will meet the interests of the majority of Bulgarian citizens are still unclear. We should not forget that this majority lives in the poorest country in the EU.

- Sociologists show that Rumen Radev took 12.8% of the voters, from the BSP electorate. Did this prove decisive in preventing the left from entering parliament?
- No, for me the decisive thing was everything that was happening in the BSP over the last 10 years. From 2017, when the BSP received the trust of nearly 800 thousand votes, to the state in which it entered the previous parliament with about 200 thousand. Now we see the next level of decline - below 100 thousand votes. The collapse in the BSP, the political deadlock and organizational bankruptcy, which have been asserting themselves for years, led to this result. The left paid the price for years of deadlock. I have warned about this many times, but no one listened. The BSP is currently in an absurd situation - there are settlements where the membership is greater than the votes received. These are truths that should not be ignored.

- What path do you see ahead for the BSP?
- I believe that the rose-colored glasses through which the BSP looks should be removed. I am referring to the historical prism of its place in the political life of Bulgaria for more than a century. We need to look at the situation realistically and take radical measures. Another issue is that this is difficult in the current state of the party's bodies and organization. There is self-deception both in the Executive Bureau and in the National Council of the BSP. It is high time to look at things realistically. I can give many examples from recent years, in which the voice of society was not heard, the real attitude towards the BSP was not felt and not seen. It is not counted how many times internal decisions and procedural mechanisms in the leadership shifted the real assessment - until the next elections, in which the result became even lower.

- Has the rule become established - whoever joins in government with GERB, loses...
- Yes. This rule also applied when the BSP decided to participate in power in the previous elections. Obviously, an instinct for participation in power at any cost was created in the BSP. It also manifested itself in the participation in the cabinet with “We continue the change“.

- In the “Petkov“ cabinet, where the BSP had a participation….
- And all this gradually, gradually – this unprincipledness in pushing through politics in the name of power realization – bled the BSP and brought it to this state.

- Let's go back to Rumen Radev's victory. What will be the biggest challenges facing the new government? In what situation is the country?
- First of all - the economy. Second - energy. Currently, energy prices are a serious challenge. Bulgaria must look at how it can use its available energy resources - especially in the field of thermal power plants and nuclear energy - so as not to fall into a difficult situation for either the population or business. The new government must also respond to public attitudes for a more moderate foreign policy that takes into account not only these attitudes, but also the objective interests of Bulgarian citizens. In the campaign, the topic of Russophiles - Russophobes has become a leading one, which is not right. The more important question is what Bulgarian citizens are interested in, provided that Bulgaria is a member of the European Union.

- We heard clearly from Radev that the orientation towards the EU and NATO is not questioned. But we must also look at Russia…
- We must also look at Russia, but through the prism of our interests, and not only through ideological oppositions. We need a policy that puts the interests of the people here in the Balkans first, and a more open foreign policy. You see that in the European Union more and more countries - both large and small - are moving in this direction. I am not just talking about Hungary and Slovakia, because we can already see what the position on certain issues is of Spain and Italy. We must also look at our traditionally good relations with China.