NEWS

The Participants in the Referendum Showed That You Should Express Your Opinion, Not Work Behind-the-Scenes to Undermine the Plebiscite

30 October 2015, 2 Dondukov street

The second national referendum in Bulgaria’s most recent history was conducted a couple of days ago. Unfortunately, even before we managed to decipher the votes of the people, the political reality once again reminded us of all the problems which the public should address. I would like us to carefully look at the referendum and to correctly interpret what the Bulgarian people told us. We should not allow the provocative actions and outrageous behavior of politicians who should not be part of a law-governed European state in which the public expects the institutions to hold responsible anyone who violates the law and order in the country be in the limelight rather than the efforts which our whole society has put into ensuring more democracy for already a quarter of a century.

The only way we could interpret the results of the conducted referendum is that the people today would like to be active participants in the decision-making process in the state and are ready to contribute not only at election time but also by taking advantage of the opportunities direct democracy provides. I thank all our compatriots who took part in this referendum. I also thank those who expressed their position by voting “No.” They deserve gratitude because they were not misled by the open boycott that some political parties tried to impose. The participants in the referendum showed that the correct position in democratic societies is to express your opinion, not work behind-the-scenes to undermine the plebiscite. The referendum was organized neither by the president, nor by a group of people who were willing to have online voting introduced. It was a national plebiscite on the voters’ basic electoral rights and on the way they could exercise them. There was a high voter turnout at the referendum on Sunday. The people showed that in its democratic development the Bulgarian civil society does not simply exist and is not simply active, but that it is far ahead of those who pretentiously yet not so deservedly call themselves “part of the political elite.”

Approximately 40 percent of the Bulgarian citizens exercised their right to vote at the conducted referendum. More than two million and 700,000 Bulgarians voted and neither the almost full information blackout that was imposed on the topic, neither the lack of debates and a clash of arguments, neither the apparent and demonstrative unwillingness of part of the political parties to hear the voice of the people, prevented them from doing so. The conducted referendum is undoubtedly a success for the democratic development of the country. I will continue to make efforts to ensure that direct democracy finds its worthy place in the political life of the country. Elections will be held in the future as well, but it depends on our political will to use them and ask the people questions related to important issues. This is what the Bulgarians wanted us to do at the referendum. The voters want to be asked and expect to be heard.

A couple of myths were categorically dispelled at the national referendum. First, the myth that our society lacks experience and cannot take advantage of the positive aspects of direct democracy. You all saw that this is not the case! The people alone sought the information their representatives refused to give them, they alone collected the arguments, debated and ultimately voted. If we look at the profile of the participants in the referendum, it becomes clear that this is the only voting in the past 25 years in which political affiliations are not evident, on the contrary – representatives of all political parties can be found among the one million and 800,000 Bulgarians that voted for online voting. People not only from the big cities, but also from the small towns and villages cast their “yes” vote. Those who supported online voting are adherents not only of the ruling coalition, but also of the leading opposition parties – the BSP and the MRF. Such a common commitment to a cause practically has no analogy in our contemporary history. This shows that we should not underestimate the Bulgarian people and that although our compatriots may support left or right ideas, may claim to be liberals or nationalists, all of them may disregard their party affiliations and vote for statehood, if such an opportunity arises. I am really proud of this fact.

The myth that conducting a referendum together with other elections will create difficulties for the voters was also dispelled. This myth proved to be equally untrue. What created difficulties for the Bulgarian people was not the referendum, but the contradictory instructions given by parties and institutions. Strange political legislative and organizational decisions caused much more difficulties for the voter than the additional ballot paper on the table. What is amazing is that our compatriots looked for that ballot paper, even when they were not given it. We gained experience at the referendum. In the future it will be much easier for the voter to express their will and it will be increasingly more difficult for those who do their best to confuse or cause difficulties to the voter!

The irregularities on election night and the following days clearly showed that that we can greatly facilitate the election process if we give the Bulgarians the chance to vote online. The fact that we deprive our compatriots of the opportunities that the 21st century provides but leave them watch the scenes that took place in the past couple of days in Arena Armeets instead, is inexplicable!

The people had a say. Currently the Assembly deputies should make their responsible decision. Hopefully, they will live up to the expectations of their voters, they will adopt a nationally responsible approach by respecting the votes of one million and 800,000 Bulgarians who wanted to and promoted online voting in Bulgaria. I hope parliament will not waste time unnecessarily. I hope we will become witnesses of a nationally responsible debate, not procedural tricks played before the very eyes of millions of Bulgarians. Anyway, two Bulgarian parliaments had the opportunity to debate on the topic a couple of times. A decision should be made and it should be made now. If the power holders fail to recognize the results from the referendum held on Sunday, they will make a big political mistake. Although the referendum on online voting failed to be highly successful, it was supported by one million and 800,000 Bulgarians, which clearly shows that many people support the idea for a change of the political system. The will of one million and 800,000 Bulgarians cannot be easily neglected and if it is, serious political consequences will ensue. The power holders’ refusal to hear what exactly the supporters of the referendum want would be a great political mistake. The people are willing to see a change of the political system. If they are not heard now, when they do it in a democratic manner, in some time they will for sure be heard in one way or another. I call on the National Assembly to take the rare chance and the hand lent by the people to improve the electoral process and Bulgarian democracy.

Democracy cannot be measured by numbers and percentages. Democracy requires commitment, constant and consistent efforts, it requires respect for the positions of the other, even if we do not share them. The fact that the number of those who voted for the introduction of online voting considerably exceeds the votes for electing any Assembly deputy is not important. What is more important is that each one of these one million and 800,000 votes is free. Neither of these votes is bought, corporate, manipulated or rigged. Neither of these compatriots of ours has voted because they expect that they will be offered some post or because they are willing to allocate national resources. There are no such voters. These are the real votes of people who love their country and would like to contribute to its democratic development. I hope that at the forthcoming voting the Assembly deputies will take this fact into consideration because their actions will be assessed by the same compatriots which currently expect to be heard. I am sure that the Bulgarian people will decipher namely that – the respect for the people’s vote, recognizing the will of the people, the ambition to hear the sovereign, instead of imposing your ideas, which has been done throughout the 25-year transition period. Each political party, depending on its attitude to the referendum, will receive the objective appraisal of the millions of Bulgarians. I call on the Assembly deputies to realize the historical responsibility they are burdened with, with respect to the forthcoming  voting in parliament, regarding the referendum. I hope that they will live up to the expectations of the people and make a responsible decision and take action in support of direct democracy. Without any beating about the bush, without procedural tricks, without postponement. The forthcoming voting will reveal before the very eyes of the Bulgarian people who is willing to hear the people and who would like to continue to work behind-the-scenes to undermine the referendums in the country.