EXCLUSIVE — Political instability is nothing new for Bulgaria since the collapse of Todor Zhivkov’s Communist regime in 1989. That being said, the country’s government has been quite turbulent recently, holding numerous elections that prevent progress and damage the government’s effectiveness and credibility. On Oct. 2, the people of Bulgaria will head to the polls to elect yet another Parliament after former Prime Minister Kiril Petkov’s government received a vote of no confidence in June 2022. It’s the fourth election in 18 months.
The current political crisis comes at a crossroads in the country’s history. Bulgaria refused to back down from Russian President Vladimir Putin, drawing his wrath. War in Ukraine has threatened the region’s security, and inflation has left economic uncertainty. Petkov was a steady hand in perilous times and changed the country for the better.
Petkov sought to root out corrupt bureaucrats by implementing numerous reforms. He stood against a corrupt bureaucracy that exploited Bulgarians. Moreover, he revolutionized the country’s energy politics, transcending the worldview on submitting to Putin’s petrostate. He positively evolved the country in a short time and showed the people the benefits of good governance.
I spoke with Petkov over the summer in an exclusive interview, and he expressed pride in his accomplishments and was optimistic about Bulgaria’s future, especially in energy politics.
“I think that we showed leadership in the time of crisis. We showed that we were able to face difficulties and were willing to pay the political cost without falling to Russia’s blackmail,” Petkov told me. “The message is: If Bulgaria can do it, every other nation with strong political leadership can do it, too.”
But Petkov did more than root out corruption. After years of the corrupt leadership and inefficient rule of Boyko Borissov, Petkov gave the country’s government purpose and direction. This was especially true regarding the energy crisis facilitated by Putin. It showed the rest of the continent that energy independence from the Russian petrostate could be possible.
“I think Bulgaria has the potential to be a leader in southeast Europe, and we could apply the diversification infrastructure — not only to supply Bulgaria but also Romania, Serbia, North Macedonia, Greece, all the way to Ukraine and Moldova,” Petkov said. “I really hope that we will win the next elections and we will continue with a strong energy strategy that would end the dependency on Russia.”
Petkov’s valiant effort to root out corruption was no easy task — especially while facing energy supply challenges after refusing to yield to Putin, a powerful geopolitical rival. This is precisely why the country needs him to win Sunday’s election.
“It’s also very important to understand that many of the energy projects connected to Russia were also connected to corruption. And our big promise to the Bulgarian voters is to eradicate corruption from internal and external sources,” Petkov said.
“I think that within seven months, we have shown that our government is willing to do it and to use government funds and projects in a transparent and effective way for the Bulgarian citizens,” Petkov told me. “If I had one dream, it is to be able to say one day: Bulgaria became the leader in cleaning up corruption in the shortest period of time and showed how this can be done through political leadership.”
If Bulgaria is to reach its potential, it needs Petkov’s leadership. It must forsake the corruption that plagued the country for decades as government officials exploited Bulgarian citizens for their own gain. They must reject the bureaucratic malaise that dominated Bulgaria’s political landscape for decades and not take his accomplishments for granted.
His predecessors gave the country corruption, an exploited population, and problems; Kiril Petkov provided a vision, real change, and solutions. Bulgarians should vote to give him the chance to do so again.
