-----Original Message----- From: jmage at panix.com <jmage at panix.com> To: lbo-talk at lists.panix.com <lbo-talk at lists.panix.com> Date: 09 Àâãóñò 1999 ã. 17:44 Subject: Re: Fw: Albania: the real story
>Elena, what's going on in Bulgaria?
Chaos.
>
>we read there was a strong opposition to the NATO war on Yugoslavia,
Correction: the opposition was NOT against NATO war in Yugoslavia, but
against Bulgaria's involvement (by leasing airspace to Nato bombers) on the
base but understandable premise that Yugotroops may start bombing back. They
wre NOT political - and did not manage to become political claims. Numerous
hilarious surveys failed to agree/managed to make safely hazy "the average
citizen's attitude" to a) the events in Yu b)NATO's interference c)our
government's policy re: war in general and involvement in particular. I
could mail you more details off-list, but, in a nutshell, unconditional
support of NATO and its antics was proclaimed as the epochal sign that Bg is
finally becoming civilised. To oppose war/NATO was to acknowledge you are
"red" (dirty word).
>but it
>did not seem to be able to influence the government
The UDF has majority in parliament so there was no way changing government's
decision. Socialist party and other lefty fractions were not able to turn
the disorganised spontaneous protest into a political argument, probably
because (judging by publications in left press) the left had no clear idea
what exactly their line (?) should be, there were internal tensions and,
anyway, oppicial politics was much too quick to declare that any predictable
opposition from the opposition would be qualified as pigheaded stubbornness
to accept "the civilisation choice", even before there was any manifest
protest from anywhere.
> even after some NATO
>bombs exploded in Bulgaria
they were FRIENDLY bombs
>(& even then the bg government went on to block
>airspace to the russians when they made their dash to the pristina
>airport).
the official version is that the Russians did not conform to the formalities
required by diplomatic protocol to fix this
> what is the shape of the socialist opposition?
bent out of shape
> the only stories
>in the official westpress for years now hint at upcoming splits between
>what they call 'hardliners' (usually seems to mean anyone unwilling to suck
>us/banker ass) and 'reformers' (usually seems to mean some intellectuals
>ready to see all the old and weak starve provided they themselves get some
>dollars & take cool vacations).
That's simplistic - there are many shades in between hardliners and
reformers; besides, a significant part of SP supporters leaked into
all-sorts centre-left formations which have been virtually mushrooming since
last elections.
>how about the environmentalists, who at
>first anyway were talking socialism - did they end up pimping for soros?
That's a painful question; there are left environmentalists, right
environmentalists (the PC) and "rambling", unimportant (uninfluential) focus
groups (i belong to one). The ecoministry PR are doing an excellent job
convincing the public there's no real eco-damage after the war. The oldest
eco-group (national, founded in Rousse founded in the 1980's as a response
to the pollution from friendly Roumania) later disintegrated, with some of
its members staying with the BSP (soc party), others making a career with
the UDF, and the majority giving it up altogether or scouting on occasion
for focus groups. It's hard to believe we were evr together.
>what the hell is going on with the chernobyl-design nuclear plants?
still well and functioning well
> what
>if anything have the socialists learned from the destruction by currency
>crisis of their last government by the bankers/us intelligence?
same people, same faces - maybe they have learnt something, hopefully. it
doesn't show.
> are there
>contacts with the really existing marxist left in euroland (i.e.
>refondazione, the PDS, the three greek parties of the anti-maastricht
>anti-nato left that together won a third of the seats in the euro
>parliament elections)?
> could (via elections) the socialists soon come to
>power again in Bulgaria? what difference might it make?
dunno. doesn't seem likely. although the support (public rating for the
government and the president) dropped furing YU crisis, they are still seen
as the "lesser evil". BSP can hope only to get the votes of their hard-core
supporters - unless it strikes a bargain with other left formations. The
Euroleft party, however, who seem to be gaining popularity flirts with
soc-dem parties rather than risk compromising by association with bsp. There
will be local elections in October, so there might be some changes to think
about. At the moment BSP is the losers' party. And there's a huge percentage
of non-voting population (over 30%), a large part of which are x-soc
supporters.
I'm afraid the questions you put are too general, and, my answers too i'm
afraid
>
>john mage
>