Politics and Media Bulgarian Style - Circus Maximus

Bulgaria has been democratizing itself since the fall of communism in 1989. For almost 20 years of democracy in Bulgaria "many things happened but nothing changed" or "many things changed but nothing happened."

For these 20 years, Bulgaria was governed by the Socialist Party (the former Communist Party), the Union of Democratic Forces, the party of the former Tsar Simeon II, and a coalition among the former communists, the tsar, and the Turkish party. No matter who is in power though, the media have always been kind to the party of power. The reason for this is that for over 10 years after the collapse of communism the main and the only television station was controlled by the party that is in power. However, currently there are 4 national channels and countless cable televisions but still the ones that criticize governments and parties are very few.

The reason for this is that everybody - members of ruling parties, members of opposition parties, reporters, respected journalists - used to be members and agents of the old Communist Party. They are friends, they play the same game. When the files of the Communist Party were opened it became known that famous journalists (Koritarov, Garelov) were agents of the Communist Party. The prime-minister is a former communist and his girlfriend is supposedly one of the best investigative journalists in Bulgaria. Coincidence!?

Now when a politician is about to be interviewed by a respected political journalist, it is clear to everyone that two agents are going to discuss the agency. Isn't that a circus...