Kuneva: Ruling Party Creates Political Schizophrenia in Bulgaria

Former EU Commissioner Meglena Kuneva (C) is running as an independent candidate for October 23 presidential elections in Bulgaria. Photo by BGNES

Ruling center-right GERB party has created a fake reality by means of its vast resources and influence on media, commented Bulgarian presidential candidate, ex-EU Commissioner Meglena Kuneva.

Tuesday Kuneva was in an election event in third-largest Bulgarian city of Varna, where she criticized what she saw as an irresponsible and hard-muscled policy on the part of the cabinet of Bulgarian PM Boyko Borisov.

"GERB made us lapse into a political schizophrenia: on TV we're watching positive news and showy official openings of new sites, while in real life we're witnessing unemployment and lack of perspective," said Kuneva.

She also commented that while as an independent candidate, she made her campaign on a modest BGN 280,000, the GERB party had on its account BGN 71 M of taxpayers' money via the Bulgarian state subsidy for political parties.

Kuneva further criticized PM Borisov for what she saw as scaremongering by saying that if the GERB candidate does not get the presidential seat in elections this and next weak, they might give up power and cause snap parliamentary elections.

At the same time, the EU Consumer Rights Commissioner in the first Barroso college said that Bulgarians should not vote "against," but rather vote "for" the politician they see as best epitomizing their political vision.

Kuneva vowed to work, if elected as president, for the creation of a just and independent judicial system, the furthering of a low-burden business climate, a responsible energy policy, as well as to take due care of Bulgarian culture.

In opinion polls, Kuneva is coming third (sometimes second), behind opposition Bulgarian Socialist Party candidate Ivaylo Kalfin and ruling GERB party's Rosen Plevneliev, who has a stable lead.

A second round is most likely to be needed October 30, as none of the candidates is quite likely to get more than 50% of the vote.

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