Union of Democratic Forces (UtDF) parliamentary group demanded the Parliament would dissociate itself from the statement by Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) leader Ahmed Dogan that “vote-buying was European practise.”
On November 7 2007, Ivan Sotirov, head of the UtDF parliamentary group, demanded all party leaders would take a stand against Dogan’s statement and dissociate themselves from it, mediapool.bg reported. The Parliament should hold a debate on the problem, Sotirov said.
In the evening of the second round of municipal elections, on Sunday November 4 2007, Dogan said that “vote-buying is an European phenomenon. As business feels uncomfortable and wants to enter the politics, it would use that technology. Democracy will last even with vote-buying.”
According to Sotirov, “such a statement by a political party leader and member of Parliament threatens democracy in the country.”
Dogan’s words were ‘absurd’ and had negative impact on the image of Parliament as an institution. “We all have to dissociate ourselves from such statements, otherwise we become part of this disgrace of politics in Bulgaria and the democratic process.”
In Europe, if a politician would make such a statement, he would have to give up being a politician, Sotirov said.
Comments by Per - 11:19 08 Nov 2007 |
 | The statement of Mr Ahmed Dogan shows clearly how complex the democratic and the political life is in Bulgaria. Reading this makes me think about 1934....
I know that many Bulgarians unfortunately will beleive him, as this populistical way of expressing and justifying an anti-democratic process easily can find supporters among the part of the population not knowing better.
Not only must the Parliament dissociate itself from this, but also must the PRESIDENT of Bulgaria.
Mr Purvanov was recently in Sweden.
There he was calmly relaxing in a coffe-shop in a business area outside the city. He was enjoying a true democratic right, valid also for politicians. Perhaps his was disturbed only by the young man recognizing they were Bulgarian-speaking and just therefore started a conversation.
True democracy demands full rights of free expressions, yes. But politicians must consider before speaking.
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Comments by Per - 11:19 08 Nov 2007 |
| The statement of Mr Ahmed Dogan shows clearly how complex the democratic and the political life is in Bulgaria. Reading this makes me think about 1934....
I know that many Bulgarians unfortunately will beleive him, as this populistical way of expressing and justifying an anti-democratic process easily can find supporters among the part of the population not knowing better.
Not only must the Parliament dissociate itself from this, but also must the PRESIDENT of Bulgaria.
Mr Purvanov was recently in Sweden.
There he was calmly relaxing in a coffe-shop in a business area outside the city. He was enjoying a true democratic right, valid also for politicians. Perhaps his was disturbed only by the young man recognizing they were Bulgarian-speaking and just therefore started a conversation.
True democracy demands full rights of free expressions, yes. But politicians must think twice before speaking.
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